Robin Hood 0 Somerset Trojans 4

Somerset Trojans eased into the quarter-final of the Friendship Trophy with an emphatic 4-0 preliminary-round victory over Robin Hood at Goose Gosling Field on Tuesday night.

The visitors looked to assert themselves from the outset, pinning the hosts back in their own half for the opening 15 minutes as Hood struggled against the prolonged period of pressure.

The onslaught finally told in the 16th minute when Trojans broke the deadlock. A deep corner from the right-hand side appeared to be swinging out of play, after seemingly beating everyone only for Jomari Gooden to somehow hook the ball back into the path of Jaire Shields to volley in from two yards out.

The visitors continued to look dangerous going forward with Simeon Burrows firing narrowly over after being afforded an abundance of time and space on the edge of the area.

Hood finally started to find a little bit of rhythm and cohesion, with Kwame Naylor heading narrowly over after getting on the end of Barry Tyson’s dangerous inswinging free-kick in the 38th minute.

But just moments before half time, Hood’s task became even harder whenTrojans doubled their advantage. Again Hood’s frailty at defending setpieces was exposed as goalkeeper Timmy Figureido somehow kept out Gooden’s point-bank header, only for the ball to fall to Maquel Nisbett Tankard, who had the simple task of tapping in from a yard out.

Trojans started the second half just as they had the first, pressing the ball and dominating possession from kick-off.

Almost immediately further chances came and went with Makia Joell heading over from close range, before Jahiem Iris saw his stinging right-foot shot from the edge of the areas whistle narrowly over Figureido’s goal.

Burrows went close again with a curling effort in the 53rd minute before the midfielder got himself on the score sheet just two minutes later. Enrique Mendes did brilliantly down the left-hand side driving to the byline before cutting the ball back for Burrows to fire home a first-time shot.

To their credit, Hood continued to look for a route back into the match with substitute Brayan Noriega finally calling Jade Morrissey into action with a smart save in the 66th minute, while Najee Edwards also went close shortly after, racing clear before flashing a drilled effort past the far post.

But just as was the case in the first half when Hood looked to find a foothold in proceedings, Trojans scored again in the 69th minute.

In a reversal of the third goal, Burrows this time turned provider, gliding down the right under no real pressure before picking out Mendes for a simple tap in from close range.

As the match wound down, there was just enough time for Hood to be denied a consolation as Edwards beat the onrushing Morrissey to a through ball only to see his effort come back off the past and cleared to safety as Trojans kept their clean sheet intact.

The victory means Trojans face Hamilton Parish in the next round at St David’s on December 11.

SCORERS

Somerset Trojans: J Shields 16, M Tankard 44, S Burrows 55, E Mendes 69

TEAMS

Robin Hood (5-2-3): T Figureido 6 - B Tyson 6 (sub: D Brangman, 58min 6), L Fulton 6, N Massa 6, C Douglas 6, M Hayward 6 - L Evans 7, K Naylor 6 (sub: T Lowe, 64 6) - N Outerbridge 7 (sub B Noreiega 64 6), A Ebbin 5 (sub: N Edwards, 12min 7), E Outerbridge 6. Substitutes not used: A Paynter, R Smith, D Simmons. Booked: Lowe.

Somerset Trojans (4-3-3): J Morrissey 7 - J Ratterry-Smith 7, M Henschicke 6, M Joell 7 (sub: D Swan, 59 6), J Gooden 7 (sub: Z Saltus-Seymour, 71) - E Mendes 8, D Ming , S Burrows 8 - J Shields 7, M Tankard 7, J Iris 7. Substitutes not used: J Butterfield, C Durham, D Wainwright, A Morrissey. Booked: Ratterry-Smith, Iris.

Referee: T Simons.