Friendship & Shield Provide Exciting Match-Ups
Friendship Trophy and Shield action rises to the fore this weekend with the quarter-final round taking place in each competition and featuring combination double-headers – Shield followed by Friendship – at four venues.
Reigning Friendship champions PHC would appear to have an easy road to the semi-finals as they travel to the west end to encounter long-time rivals Somerset Trojans at Somerset Cricket Club.
Trojans are yet to win a match in the league and have not won in any competition since the semi-finals of the Dudley Eve in early November, and while a weekend draw against Dandy Town raised surprise eyebrows, pundits would not so eagerly bet on red or blue for this match-up.
The most intriguing match on paper would seem to involve Robin Hood and North Village, the latter with a rich cup history compared to the relatively new to the scene Robin Hood, but the former perhaps the most in-form team on the island at the moment.
Robin Hood captain Antwan Russell relayed to Bernews the team’s intent to make fervent runs at all available articles of silverware, this after having grasped the first major piece of the current campaign in beating the aforementioned Somerset in the final of the Dudley Eve Trophy.
“We are not looking for a break for Christmas or at any time, we want to keep playing and challenge for all the trophies,” said Russell after the X-Roads match last Sunday, won 2-1 by Robin Hood. “We have the Friendship coming up and we’re ready to challenge for that.”
Hood and Rams will tussle at Bernard Park behind an opening Shield match between favourites Southampton Rangers and St. George’s, who have found a bit of form of late amidst an uneven season.
At St. John’s field, the Shield curtain-raiser will have Vasco against Devonshire Colts, while Dandy Town take on X-Roads, with both teams coming off of disappointing match results from last Sunday.
St. David’s has two matches on tap, the first having Hamilton Parish Hot Peppers warranting the decided edge against Wolves, while Boulevard and Devonshire Cougars wrap up the day there.
At Somerset, Social Club have the task of overcoming a strong Somerset Eagles team to advance in the Shield.
All Shield matches start at 12,00pm, while Friendship Trophy matches commence at 2.30pm.
