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BAA and Paget renew hostilities

Reassuring presence: goalkeeper Jason Smith will return for Paget as they bid to bounce back from a 5-0 thrashing by BAA last weekend. The two sides meet in the FA Cup quarter-finals at Goose Gosling Field on Saturday night (Photogaph by Lawrence Trott)

BAA and Paget will meet for the second time in six days tomorrow night when the top two teams in the First Division battle for a place in the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

BAA, who replaced Paget at the top of the table after a 5-0 win, will be looking to carry on from that performance last weekend at Southampton Oval.

Paget, whose priority is a second promotion to the top division, will be out to avenge their heaviest defeat of the season.

Their defence will be boosted by the return of first-choice goalkeeper Jason Smith and captain Jensen Rogers, who missed the match because of suspension.

“I think we were a bit too relaxed,” said coach Robert Lee of last weekend’s loss, only their second in the league this season.

“It was one of those games that was bound to come, we’ve been riding high for a good many weeks. I put it down to a one-off. I think we can turn it around, we’ve just got to go out there and get it done. With my captain and regular goalkeeper coming back, I think we should be good.”

Dion Stovell, Paget’s top scorer, will miss the match, having been sent off last weekend for two yellow cards. He would have missed the match regardless, as he agreed to stop playing football after last weekend to concentrate on the upcoming cricket tour to Argentina next weekend when he will captain Bermuda in the ICC WT20 Sub Regional Qualifiers.

Also taking a break from football is the Bermuda vice-captain, Terryn Fray, who has been a key member of North Village’s defence this season.

BAA will miss a key player, striker Willie Clemons, who is in Europe pursuing professional trials. Clemons, who did not play last weekend, has been a key man in BAA’s promotion push this season.

This will be the first all-First Division quarter-final clash since 2014 when two other promotion chasing teams, St George’s and Robin Hood, battled for a place in the last four.

The same two teams will meet again at Wellington Oval in one of the three matches on Sunday.

Both team’s fortunes have changed quite a bit since then, with Hood going on to win both the FA Cup in 2015-16 and a maiden Premier Division title in 2016-17.

St George’s lasted just one season in the top flight before a 1-1 draw at home to Hood in April 2015 sealed their relegation. The East Enders have reached the last eight of the competition three times in the past five seasons. They lost to eventual winners PHC in the quarter-finals last season.

PHC, who have a record 11 FA Cup title wins, put their title on the line when they travel to St John’s Field to play Dandy Town. Zebras have already won the Dudley Eve Trophy and Friendship Trophy this season.

Village, who lost to PHC in last year’s FA Cup final, are also still in the hunt for a tenth FA Cup title win, will play First Division side Southampton Rangers in the other match at Southampton Oval. Sunday’s games start at 2.30pm.