Paget Lions 1 Somerset Trojans 2

Somerset Trojans coach Jensen Rogers is refusing to give up on Premier Division survival after his side kept their hopes alive with a crucial victory over Paget Lions at Southampton Oval on Sunday.

Trailing Young Men’s Social Club by three points heading into the penultimate fixtures, Trojans would have been relegated, had they not at least matched their relegation rival’s result.

With Social Club prevailing in a 4-3 thriller at home to Devonshire Cougars, second-half goals from captain Jadan Ratteray-Smith and substitute Kee-Zai Cann, either side of Julian Carpenter’s equaliser, proved pivotal in keeping Trojans within touching distance of what would be a remarkable escape.

Despite facing a daunting trip to title-chasing North Village for their last game, Rogers is adamant his side can still avoid the drop as Trojans hold the better goal difference over Social Club, who will travel to Hamilton Parish.

“We still have to do our part and hope the other result falls our way, but these guys are a spirited bunch and so we have a chance,” said Rogers.

“Most people will look at that final fixture and say it’s over, but I don’t believe that with this bunch of players that we have.

“Anything can happen in football and all I ask is that they give it everything they have. We have to win and that’s the situation we face. We know Village are a quality team and are chasing the title but we can’t go there thinking we can’t get the result.

“Today we again showed that spirit that we have. We dug deep and got the result when we had to.

“We have a very young squad and so the challenge all season has been can they show that they deserve to be Premier Division players having stepped up from youth football.

“It took a little bit more time than we perhaps hoped it would, but they are still showing that they have that fight to stay up.”

In a first-half devoid of chances, it was Paget who came closest to breaking the deadlock five minutes before the interval when Omari Tucker’s goalbound effort was brilliantly cleared off the line by Kameron McNeil.

Trojans got themselves ahead eight minutes after the restart when the ball found its way through to Jadan Ratteray-Smith inside the area and the midfielder kept his composure to beat the onrushing Omari Deshields.

Rogers’s side came close to doubling their advantage almost immediately but Haile Eve’s dangerous ball across the goalmouth was scrambled away under pressure by Delente Frost.

Paget got themselves level on the hour when substitute Kamali Davis’s inch-perfect cross from the left found Carpenter, who rose highest to guide his header beyond the reach of Yizharyah Williams and into the bottom right corner.

Antwan Russell’s side threatened to take the lead in the 66th minute with Shakir Smith’s driven effort being spilt by Williams, who managed to gather the ball at the second attempt under pressure.

With seven minutes remaining Trojans grabbed what proved to be the winner.

It came with a touch of good fortune as goalkeeper DeShields failed to keep hold of Paris Robinson’s speculative long-range free-kick, fumbling onto the bar, with the rebound falling to the alert Cann, who had the simple task of heading home from all of two yards.

The victory was marred by a confrontation that broke out among the Trojans players on the bench, with the altercation rumbling on after the final whistle.

While not welcoming such an incident, Rogers put it down to passions spilling over in a highly-pressured situation.

“It’s a pressured environment and sometimes things get heated,” he added. “It’s a tight-knit group, but sometimes we can all get a little frustrated with one another.

“That can be expected a little more with a young squad and while I can’t be too harsh on them for that, I will be telling them to try and channel those emotions into their performances and not at each other.”

SCORERS

Paget Lions: J Carpenter 60

Somerset Trojans: Jadan Ratteray-Smith 53, K Cann 83

TEAMS

Paget Lions (4-5-1): O DeShields 5 – K Durrant 6, J Carpenter 7, P Castle 6 (sub: A Grant, 56min 6), D Frost 6 – Rakeem DeShields 6, S Lambert 6, D Joell 6, M Wade 6 (sub: K Davis, 46 7), S Smith 7 – O Tucker 6 (sub: A Russell, 56 7). Substitutes not used: K Simons, T Hall, B Degrilla. Booked: Castle, Durrant, Smith.

Somerset Trojans: (4-3-3): Y Williams 7 – M Eve 6 (sub: D Bean, 64), P Robinson 7, M Tankard 6, Kameron McNeil 7 (sub: J Greaves, 75) – Jadan Ratteray-Smith 7, C Durham 6, Kymani McNeil 8 – Rio Russell 6 (sub: K Cann, 75), Haile Eve 7 (sub: Jaz Ratteray-Smith 90+2), K Mills 7. Substitutes not used: J Powell, J Simmons, N Bean. Booked: Kameron McNeil, Cann, Robinson.

Referee: J Springer (Barbados)