Robin Hood 1 Somerset 1

Robin Hood and Somerset Trojans maintained their positions in the Premier Division standings after sharing the points, in their make-up match last night at Goose Gosling Field.

Considering the circumstances, it was probably a point earned for both teams, rather than two points lost, as Hood were without suspended player-coach Dante Leverock. Meanwhile, Somerset played the last 30 minutes of the match with ten men, following a straight red card shown to captain Justin Corday for a bad tackle.

After a scoreless first half, all the defining moments in the match were confined to a five minute period early in the second half. Somerset took the lead when defender Donte Brangman lobbed the ball into the box and Leo Burgess laid off a pass to the left, for Nathan Rego to apply the finishing touches from close range.

Hood, took just four minutes to equalise, when a ball into the box was blocked by goalkeeper Nkenge Durham, before rebounding off Jaylon Bather and rolling over the goal line.

A minute later the game took another twist when Corday, a Hood player last season before he returned to the Trojans, was sent off by referee Anthony Francis for a bad foul on Kwame Naylor.

Somerset threatened to reclaim the lead a few minutes later but striker Tevahn Tyrell failed to connect with a header right in front of goal following a good ball into the box by Burgess, now wearing the captain’s armband.

Both teams made late substitutions in an effort to break the deadlock, with Somerset going close from a Burgess free kick, which was too high. Burgess was fouled on the edge of the box by Bather.

Somerset created the better chances in the first half, with Jadan Ratteray-Smith having a shot blocked by goalkeeper Mataeo Holder midway through the half. At the other end, a shot on the turn by Chae Brangman went over the bar, as Robin Hood started to threaten more.

The hosts went close again just before the half when Naylor dribbled into the box before goalkeeper Durham blocked his shot with his legs.

SCORERS:

Somerset: Rego 54

Robin Hood: Bather 58

TEAMS

Robin Hood (4-3-3): M Holder 6 ‒ K Knights 6, J Bather 7, C Robinson 6, D Cook 6 ‒ L Evans 6 (sub: J Bean 82), N Outerbridge 6, K Naylor 6 ‒ E Outerbridge 6, A Simons 5 (sub: T Goater 80), C Brangman 6. Substitutes not used: N Massa, M Fullerton.

Somerset (4-3-3): N Durham 6 ‒ D Brangman 6, T Harris 6, Jaz Ratteray-Smith 5, M Henschke 6 ‒ J Corday 5, Jadan Ratteray-Smith 6, J Butterfield 5 ‒ N Rego 6, T Tyrell 6 (sub: M Jones 80), L Burgess 6 (sub: K Brangman 86). Sent off: Corday. Substitutes not used: T Ming, D Swan, C Durham, J Morrissey.

Referee: A Francis.