St George’s Colts 3 Somerset Trojans 4

Somerset Trojans came from behind in a seven-goal thriller to beat St. George’s Colts and advance into the quarter-final round of the Dudley Eve Trophy on Saturday night.

Having suffered a heavy defeat in their last outing in the competition, the Trojans regrouped to win this thanks in part to a late winner from super-sub Jeze Butterfield, who set up the equalising goal before scoring the winner to see his team through.

“The job is not done yet”, Butterfield siad. “St. George’s had the tempo going in their favour and I just wanted to do my part. It’s a great feeling to come on and set up the equaliser and then score the winner, but it was a total team effort and we still have trophies to win.’

The game started at a quick pace with St. George’s taking the game to their opponents but it would be the Trojans who opened the scoring against the run of play.

A needless free-kick was allowed to bounce to the back post for Jaine Shields to bundle over the line off the goal post.

St. George’s were successful in penetrating down the left flank where Trojans full-back Azar Morrissey was constantly tormented with continuous attacks. It was no surprise when Colts equalized as captain Kashe Hall weaved his way down the line to get a shot off which the Trojans goalkeeper Jade Morrissey did well to block, but Sage Blair-Paynter was first to the rebound to drive home.

The momentum was with the east enders as Hall threaded a pass to winger Lashon Dill, who beat the onrushing goalkeeper to the ball before side-footing into an empty net to put St. George’s ahead.

A few minutes later, the Trojans were awarded a penalty when a defender was penalised for handball and Justin Corday planted his spot kick to the right of goalkeeper Zeko Burgess to tie the match.

The Colts bench were vociferously disputing many calls resulting in assistant Coach Calvin Dill being dismissed by referee Majors for foul and abusive language in the 41st minute but St. George’s were awarded a penalty of their own just before the half when Quayan Watson fouled Malachi Trott in the area. Hall scored with a re-taken penalty. sending goalkeeper Morrissey the wrong way to give the Colts a deserved lead into the break.

As the second half started, St. George’s abandoned their penetrating runs down the left which allowed the Trojans to play with more freedom.

Corday and Damon Ming were influential and beginning to dominate the midfield, spreading diagonal passes across the field.

The tides had now turned and the Trojans took advantage of a forced Trojans defensive change when Wayne Broadley was injured and replaced with Jahkai Brangman.

An enthused Somerset side were finding the full-back to be vulnerable and pressed their attacks down his side but it wasn’t until super-sub Butterfield was introduced in the 66th minute that a breakthrough was made.

He made an instant impact when a cross from the exposed side was knocked back into the centre by Nathan Rego for Butterfield to hit a low drive which was initially blocked but followed up by Rego.

Ten minutes later, Corday collected the ball in his own half and made a darting run down the left flank, dribbled along the goal line before his cross was met at the back post by Butterfield with a volley to send his team through to the quarter-finals.

Scorers:

St George’s Colts: S Blair-Paynter 11, L Dill 34, K Hall 45 +2 pens

Somerset Trojans: J Shields 8, J Corday 37 pen, N Rego 68, J Butterfield 83

TEAMS

Somerset Trojans (4-2-3-1): Jade Morrissey 6 --- J Fraser 6. M Joell 6, J Shields 6 (sub: K Joyiens, 61min 5), A Morrissey 5 --- D Ming 7, J Corday 7--- Z Saltus-Seymour 6 (sub: J Ratteray-Smith, 74), K Cann 5 (sub: J Butterfield, 66, 9), Q Watson 6 --- N Rego 6. Substitutes not used: J Brangman. Booked: A Morrissey.

St. George’s Colts (4-1-4-1): Z Burgess 6 --- N Paynter 6, E Signor 5, P Anderson 6, W Broadley 6 (sub: J Brangman, 69min 4) --- J Burgess 5 --- K Hall 8, L Dill 6 (sub: D Lodge 76), M Trott 7, B Hall 7 --- S Blair-Paynter 6 (sub: K Wilson, 59 5). Substitutes not used: T Burgess, K Burton, J Carlington, W White, C Burns. Booked: M Trott. Sent off: C Dill

Referee: A Majors