Somerset Trojans 4 X-Roads Warriors 3

Somerset Trojans put their poor league start to one side as they advanced into the semi-finals of the Dudley Eve Trophy with a thrilling win at PHC Stadium last night

Justin Corday scored a first-half hat-trick to keep the Trojans in the hunt of winning some silverware this season and coach Scott Morton is hopeful his new generation of players can follow in the footsteps of some legends.

“First and foremost, I am grateful to move into the next round and to score some goals in the process,” Morton said.

“Silver City is history which Somerset should be proud of but this is a new crop of players and some don’t have a clue what that is about. We just need to focus game by game and see where it takes us.”

It was X-Roads who started the match with a bang when Jaman Lottimore planted his shot past Trojans goalkeeper Jade Morrissey to take the lead with only two minutes on the board.

But their lead lasted just seven minutes as Corday, playing in the unfamiliar role of striker, found room to slot past Warriors goalkeeper Q’Shai Darrell for the equaliser before debutant Mohammad Aden gave Trojans the lead in the 23rd minute with a well-taken effort.

Corday was a constant menace to X-Roads centre backs Jamie Furbert and Darren Woolridge as he was finding room to play with ease. Morton’s men were dominating possession and Corday wiggled free from his marker before side-footing in at the near post for his second and he completed his hat-trick when drilling a low shot past Darrell.

X-Roads continued to press and grabbed their second goal with the last kick of the half when Donovan Thompson ran onto a long ball forward and was brought down by Damon Ming as he headed towards goal.

Morrissey saved the initial spot-kick by diving to his right but Amir Wilson followed up to sidefoot the rebound into the empty net.

The Warriors made two changes in the second half and they had significant impact with Chae Brangman bringing intensity into the attack and getting off back-to back-shots before Kahmori Brangman played a diagonal ball into the path of Wilson who slammed his shot past the goalkeeper to score his second goal and reduce X-Roads’s deficit to one.

With nearly half an hour to go, the Warriors had plenty of time to try to find an equaliser but could not peg back the Trojans.

SCORERS

Somerset Trojans Corday 9, 32, 41, Aden 23

X-Road Warriors Lottimore 2, Wilson 45, 64

TEAMS

Somerset Trojans (4-2-3-1): J Morrissey 7 --- A Morrissey 6, M Nesbitt-Tankard 6 (sub: C Durham, 46min 6), Jaz Ratteray-Smith 7 --- Jadan Ratteray-Smith 6, K Joyiens 6 (sub: S Burrows, 70 5) --- M Aden 6 (K McNeil, 46 5), D Ming 6, J Butterfield 6 --- J Corday 9. Substitutes not used: Q Watson, J Brangman, J Shields, K Cann. Booked: Ming.

X-Road Warriors (4-1-4-1): Q Darrell 6 --- R Simmons 6, J Furbert 6 (sub: S Dill, 85), D Woolridge 5 (sub: T Daniels, 46 6), T Lowe 6 --- A Daniels 6 --- J Lottimore 7, D Simons 6 (sub: C Brangman, 56 7), A Wilson 8, J Morgan 6 (sub: K Brangman, 54 6) --- D Thompson 8 (sub: Z McCarter, 87). Substitutes not used: J Dill.

Referee: A Majors.