North Village 2 Somerset Eagles 1

(abnd, 79min, rain)

North Village and Somerset Eagles will await a decision by the Bermuda Football Association after yesterday’s encounter at Bernard Park was abandoned 11 minutes from the end after torrential rain midway through the second half.

Referee Martin Wyer allowed the match to continue for a few minutes during the heavy downpour in the hope that conditions would improve. But in the 75th minute, unable to see the lines, he took the two teams off to their respective benches before blowing the whistle again four minutes later to signal the end of the match.

The ground, made muddy from rain in the first match, became flooded quite quickly in the second half as the club’s training lights were turned on in the fading light. Soon after the ducks from near by made their way on to the pitch to enjoy the puddles as the players and fans sought shelter from the wet conditions.

Village had a dream start to the match when 17-year-old Jakeem Jennings, the son of former Village player Keith Jennings, netted his first senior goal for the team when his shot from the right side of the box caught Pele Williams in the Eagles goal off guard, the ball finding the far bottom corner.

Village had late transfer Daniel Johnson making his debut in goal in place of Tahj Bell, who was missing again because of work commitments.

Gradually, Eagles began to settle down and in the 29th minute they got the equaliser when a high ball into the from left back Kadeem Abraham saw Marcus Iris-Simmons get his head to the ball to glance it past Johnson as he tried to punch clear.

Village managed to regain the lead nine minutes later when striker Rai Simons scored at the second attempt from the penalty spot after Ian Simmons was fouled by Terreko Wilson.

Williams moved to his right to push Simons’s spot-kick against a post but the striker responded quickly to scramble the ball over the line.

Samori Greenidge-Saltus wasted a good opportunity to pull Eagles level again in the 41st minute when a pass from Nathan Rego found him unmarked at the far post, but he put his effort well over the crossbar with just Johnson to beat.

Just before the break, Simons lobbed over the advancing goalkeeper but the ball dropped over the Eagles bar.

Constant rain, which later became torrential, marred the second half as puddles began to form and conditions became more challenging for the teams.

SCORERS

North Village: Jennings 3, Simons 38

Somerset Eagles: Iris-Simmons 38

TEAMS

North Village (4-3-3): D Johnson — K Knights, Q Lema, T Fray, N Arraujo — J Briers, T Williams, I Simmons — J Jennings (sub: J Richardson, 64min), R Simons (sub: K Bean, 59), D Daniels. Substitutes not used: A Darrell, S Somner, P Smith, A Butterfield, J Daniels.

Somerset Eagles (4-3-3): P Williams — A Morrissey, K Evans, T Wilson, K Abraham — S Greenidge-Saltus, A Telford, D Simmons — M Iris-Simmons, T Wade (sub: K Durrant, 64), N Rego. Substitutes not used: E Fubler, S Lambert, C Medeiros, R Saggar, T Smith.

Referee: M Wyer.