**                                                                                                Exhibit      99**

|  Stewart              E. McClure, Jr.          |  Gerard              Riker                    |
|----------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|
|  President              and Chief Executive Officer |  EVP              and Chief Financial Officer |
|  (908)              630- 5000             |  (908)              630-5018                  |
|                                                     |                                               |

**SOMERSET      HILLS BANCORP REPORTS FINAL FOURTH QUARTER **

**AND      YEAR END RESULTS**

----

**Forward-Looking      Statements**

----

|                                                                                                                 |   | **December                31, 2005** |    | **December                31, 2004** |   |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|--------------------------------------|---------|--------------------------------------|--------|
|                                                                                                                 |   | **(Unaudited)**                      |    |                                 |   |
|                                                                                                                 |   |                                 |    |                                 |   |
| ASSETS                                                                                                               |   |                                 |    |                                 |   |   |   |
|                                                                                                                 |   |                                 |    |                                 |   |   |   |
| Cash                and due from banks                                                                               |   | $                                    | 10,218  |                                 | $      | 5,000 |   |
| Interest                bearing deposits                                                                             |   |                                 | 103     |                                 |   | 85 |   |
| Federal                funds sold                                                                                    |   |                                 | -       |                                 |   | - |   |
| **        Total                cash and cash equivalents**                   |   |                                 | 10,321  |                                 |   | 5,085 |   |
|                                                                                                                 |   |                                 |    |                                 |   |   |   |
| Loans                held for sale,net                                                                               |   |                                 | 15,380  |                                 |   | 10,328 |   |
| Investment                securities held to maturity (Market value                                                  |   |                                 | 9,366   |                                 |   | 5,847 |   |
| $                9,372 in 2005 and $ 5,862 in 2004)                                                                  |   |                                 |    |                                 |   |   |   |
| Investment                securities available- for- sale                                                            |   |                                 | 31,899  |                                 |   | 17,484 |   |
|                                                                                                                 |   |                                 |    |                                 |   |   |   |
| Loans                receivable                                                                                      |   |                                 | 167,301 |                                 |   | 132,871 |   |
|     less                allowance for loan losses                                                |   |                                 | (2,029  | )                                    |   | (1,634 | ) |
|     deferred                fees                                                                 |   |                                 | (154    | )                                    |   | (198 | ) |
| Net                loans receivable                                                                                  |   |                                 | 165,118 |                                 |   | 131,039 |   |
|                                                                                                                 |   |                                 |    |                                 |   |   |   |
| Premises                and equipment, net                                                                           |   |                                 | 4,679   |                                 |   | 4,231 |   |
| Goodwill,                net                                                                                         |   |                                 | 1,191   |                                 |   | 1,191 |   |
| Bank                owned life insurance                                                                             |   |                                 | 5,533   |                                 |   | 5,341 |   |
| Accrued                interest receivable                                                                           |   |                                 | 1,135   |                                 |   | 652 |   |
| Deferred                tax asset                                                                                    |   |                                 | 889     |                                 |   | 149 |   |
| Other                assets                                                                                          |   |                                 | 415     |                                 |   | 529 |   |
| **        Total                assets**                                      |   | $                                    | 245,926 |                                 | $      | 181,876 |   |
|                                                                                                                 |   |                                 |    |                                 |   |   |   |
| LIABILITIES                AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY                                                                  |   |                                 |    |                                 |   |   |   |
|                                                                                                                 |   |                                 |    |                                 |   |   |   |
| LIABILITIES                                                                                                          |   |                                 |    |                                 |   |   |   |
|     Deposits                                                                                     |   |                                 |    |                                 |   |   |   |
|     Non-interest                bearing deposits-demand                                          |   | $                                    | 45,667  |                                 | $      | 37,061 |   |
|     Interest                bearing deposits-NOW,                                                |   |                                 |    |                                 |   |   |   |
|                      money market and savings                                               |   |                                 | 141,846 |                                 |   | 94,066 |   |
|     Certificates                of                deposit, under $100,000                        |   |                                 | 14,034  |                                 |   | 16,819 |   |
|     Certificates                of                deposit, $100,000 and over                     |   |                                 | 6,697   |                                 |   | 6,929 |   |
| **        Total                deposits**                                    |   |                                 | 208,244 |                                 |   | 154,875 |   |
|                                                                                                                 |   |                                 |    |                                 |   |   |   |
| Federal                Home Loan Bank advances                                                                       |   |                                 | 10,600  |                                 |   | 3,200 |   |
| Accrued                interest payable                                                                              |   |                                 | 252     |                                 |   | 88 |   |
| Other                liabilities                                                                                     |   |                                 | 1,525   |                                 |   | 665 |   |
| **        Total                liabilities**                                 |   |                                 | 220,621 |                                 |   | 158,828 |   |
| Commitments                and contingencies                                                                         |   |                                 |    |                                 |   |   |   |
|                                                                                                                 |   |                                 |    |                                 |   |   |   |
| STOCKHOLDERS'                EQUITY                                                                                  |   |                                 |    |                                 |   |   |   |
| Preferred                stock-1,000,000 shares authorized; none issued                                              |   |                                 | -       |                                 |   | - |   |
|     *Common                stock- authorized, 9,000,000 shares                                   |   |                                 |    |                                 |   |   |   |
|     of                no                par value;issued and outstanding,                        |   |                                 |    |                                 |   |   |   |
|     3,263,132                shares in 2005 and 3,201,920 in 2004                                |   |                                 | 24,389  |                                 |   | 23,940 |   |
|     Retained                earnings (Accumulated deficit)                                       |   |                                 | 1,223   |                                 |   | (827 | ) |
|     Accumulated                other comprehensive loss income                                   |   |                                 | (307    | )                                    |   | (65 | ) |
| **Total                stockholders` equity**                                                                        |   |                                 | 25,305  |                                 |   | 23,048 |   |
| **        Total                liabilities and**                             |   |                                 |    |                                 |   |   |   |
| **        stockholders'                equity**                              |   | $                                    | 245,926 |                                 | $      | 181,876 |   |
|                                                                                                                 |   |                                 |    |                                 |   |   |   |
|         *Restated                to                reflect 5% stock dividend |   |                                 |    |                                 |   |   |   |

----

|                                                                                                                         |   | **Three                  months ended** |   | **Three                  months ended** |   | **Twelve                  months ended** |   | **Twelve                  months ended** |   |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|-----------------------------------------|--------|-----------------------------------------|--------|------------------------------------------|--------|------------------------------------------|--------|
|                                                                                                                         |   | **Dec.                  31, 2005**      |   | **Dec.                  31, 2004**      |   | **Dec.                  31, 2005**       |   | **Dec.                  31, 2004**       |   |
|                                                                                                                         |   | **(unaudited)**                         |   | **(unaudited)**                         |   | **(unaudited)**                          |   |                                     |   |
| INTEREST                  INCOME                                                                                             |   |                                    |   |                                    |   |                                     |   |                                     |   |   |   |   |   |
|                                                                                                                         |   |                                    |   |                                    |   |                                     |   |                                     |   |   |   |   |   |
|     Loans,                  including fees                                                               |   | $                                       | 3,043  |                                    | $      | 2,027                                    |   | $                                        | 10,152 |   | $ | 7,128 |   |
|     Federal                  funds sold                                                                  |   |                                    | 11     |                                    |   | 19                                       |   |                                     | 181    |   |   | 67 |   |
|     Investment                  securities                                                               |   |                                    | 415    |                                    |   | 252                                      |   |                                     | 1,239  |   |   | 998 |   |
|     Cash                  and due from banks                                                             |   |                                    | 5      |                                    |   | 4                                        |   |                                     | 33     |   |   | 9 |   |
|         Total                  interest income                                       |   |                                    | 3,474  |                                    |   | 2,302                                    |   |                                     | 11,605 |   |   | 8,202 |   |
|                                                                                                                         |   |                                    |   |                                    |   |                                     |   |                                     |   |   |   |   |   |
| INTEREST                  EXPENSE                                                                                            |   |                                    |   |                                    |   |                                     |   |                                     |   |   |   |   |   |
|     Deposits                                                                                             |   |                                    | 963    |                                    |   | 512                                      |   |                                     | 3,089  |   |   | 1,962 |   |
|     Federal                  Funds Purchased                                                             |   |                                    | 4      |                                    |   | -                                        |   |                                     | 4      |   |   | 2 |   |
|     Federal                  Home Loan Bank advances                                                     |   |                                    | 48     |                                    |   | 13                                       |   |                                     | 101    |   |   | 55 |   |
|         Total                  interest expense                                      |   |                                    | 1,015  |                                    |   | 525                                      |   |                                     | 3,194  |   |   | 2,019 |   |
|                                                                                                                         |   |                                    |   |                                    |   |                                     |   |                                     |   |   |   |   |   |
|         Net                  Interest Income                                         |   |                                    | 2,459  |                                    |   | 1,777                                    |   |                                     | 8,411  |   |   | 6,183 |   |
|                                                                                                                         |   |                                    |   |                                    |   |                                     |   |                                     |   |   |   |   |   |
| PROVISION                  FOR LOAN LOSSES                                                                                   |   |                                    | 143    |                                    |   | 75                                       |   |                                     | 392    |   |   | 225 |   |
|                                                                                                                         |   |                                    |   |                                    |   |                                     |   |                                     |   |   |   |   |   |
|         Net                  interest income after provision for                     |   |                                    |   |                                    |   |                                     |   |                                     |   |   |   |   |   |
|                            loan losses                                          |   |                                    | 2,316  |                                    |   | 1,702                                    |   |                                     | 8,019  |   |   | 5,958 |   |
|                                                                                                                         |   |                                    |   |                                    |   |                                     |   |                                     |   |   |   |   |   |
| NON-INTEREST                  INCOME                                                                                         |   |                                    |   |                                    |   |                                     |   |                                     |   |   |   |   |   |
|     Service                  fees on deposit accounts                                                    |   |                                    | 70     |                                    |   | 75                                       |   |                                     | 273    |   |   | 289 |   |
|     Gains                  on sales of mortgage loans, net                                               |   |                                    | 630    |                                    |   | 475                                      |   |                                     | 2,251  |   |   | 2,183 |   |
|     Gains                  (losses) on sales of investment securities, net                               |   |                                    | -      |                                    |   | 9                                        |   |                                     | (2     | ) |   | 9 |   |
|     Other                  income                                                                        |   |                                    | 110    |                                    |   | 109                                      |   |                                     | 417    |   |   | 364 |   |
|         Total                  Non-Interest Income                                   |   |                                    | 810    |                                    |   | 668                                      |   |                                     | 2,939  |   |   | 2,845 |   |
|                                                                                                                         |   |                                    |   |                                    |   |                                     |   |                                     |   |   |   |   |   |
| NON-INTEREST                  EXPENSE                                                                                        |   |                                    |   |                                    |   |                                     |   |                                     |   |   |   |   |   |
|     Salaries                  and                  employee benefits                                     |   |                                    | 1,088  |                                    |   | 937                                      |   |                                     | 4,192  |   |   | 3,707 |   |
|     Occupancy                  expense                                                                   |   |                                    | 336    |                                    |   | 334                                      |   |                                     | 1,397  |   |   | 1,242 |   |
|     Advertising                  & business promotions                                               |   |                                    | 144    |                                    |   | 166                                      |   |                                     | 540    |   |   | 504 |   |
|     Printing                  stationery and supplies                                                    |   |                                    | 69     |                                    |   | 59                                       |   |                                     | 250    |   |   | 204 |   |
|     Data                  processing                                                                     |   |                                    | 99     |                                    |   | 74                                       |   |                                     | 379    |   |   | 288 |   |
|     Other                  operating expense                                                             |   |                                    | 436    |                                    |   | 344                                      |   |                                     | 1,656  |   |   | 1,386 |   |
|         Total                  Non-Interest Expense                                  |   |                                    | 2,172  |                                    |   | 1,914                                    |   |                                     | 8,414  |   |   | 7,331 |   |
|                                                                                                                         |   |                                    |   |                                    |   |                                     |   |                                     |   |   |   |   |   |
|         Income                  before provision for taxes                           |   |                                    | 954    |                                    |   | 456                                      |   |                                     | 2,544  |   |   | 1,472 |   |
|                                                                                                                         |   |                                    |   |                                    |   |                                     |   |                                     |   |   |   |   |   |
| PROVISION                  FOR INCOME TAX                                                                                    |   |                                    | (98    | )                                       |   | 42                                       |   |                                     | 429    |   |   | 113 |   |
|                                                                                                                         |   |                                    |   |                                    |   |                                     |   |                                     |   |   |   |   |   |
| **            Net                  income**                      |   | $                                       | 1,052  |                                    | $      | 414                                      |   | $                                        | 2,115  |   | $ | 1,359 |   |
|                                                                                                                         |   |                                    |   |                                    |   |                                     |   |                                     |   |   |   |   |   |
| Per                  share data                                                                                              |   |                                    |   |                                    |   |                                     |   |                                     |   |   |   |   |   |
|     Net                  income - basic                                                                  |   | $                                       | 0.32   |                                    | $      | 0.13                                     |   | $                                        | 0.65   |   | $ | 0.42 |   |
|     Net                  income - diluted                                                                |   | $                                       | 0.28   |                                    | $      | 0.11                                     |   | $                                        | 0.56   |   | $ | 0.37 |   |
|                                                                                                                         |   |                                    |   |                                    |   |                                     |   |                                     |   |   |   |   |   |
|         Per                  share data reflects a 5% stock                          |   |                                    |   |                                    |   |                                     |   |                                     |   |   |   |   |   |
|         dividend                  which                  was effective June 30, 2005 |   |                                    |   |                                    |   |                                     |   |                                     |   |   |   |   |   |

----

| **($                    in thousands except per share data)**                                          |   | **Three                    Months Ended** |   | **Twelve                    Months Ended** |   |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|-------------------------------------------|--------|--------------------------------------------|--------|
|                                                                                                   |   | **December                    31,**       |   | **December                    31,**        |   |
|                                                                                                   |   | **2005**                                  |   | **2004**                                   |   | **2005** |   | **2004** |   |
|                                                                                                   |   |                                      |   |                                       |   |   |   |   |   |
| **Income                    Statement Data:**                                                          |   |                                      |   |                                       |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
|                                                                                                   |   |                                      |   |                                       |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
|     Interest                    income                                             |   | $                                         | 3,474  |                                       | $      | 2,302 |   | $ | 11,605 |   | $ | 8,202 |   |
|     Interest                    expense                                            |   |                                      | 1,015  |                                       |   | 525 |   |   | 3,194 |   |   | 2,019 |   |
|     Net                    interest income                                         |   |                                      | 1,015  |                                       |   | 1,777 |   |   | 8,411 |   |   | 6,183 |   |
|     Provision                    for                    loan losses                |   |                                      | 143    |                                       |   | 75 |   |   | 392 |   |   | 225 |   |
|     Net                    interest income after prov. for loan losses             |   |                                      | 2,316  |                                       |   | 1,702 |   |   | 8,019 |   |   | 5,958 |   |
|     Non-interest                    income                                         |   |                                      | 810    |                                       |   | 668 |   |   | 2,939 |   |   | 2,845 |   |
|     Non-interest                    expense                                        |   |                                      | 2,172  |                                       |   | 1,914 |   |   | 8,414 |   |   | 7,331 |   |
|     Income                    before income taxes                                  |   |                                      | 954    |                                       |   | 456 |   |   | 2,544 |   |   | 1,472 |   |
|     Income                    tax expense                                          |   |                                      | (98    | )                                          |   | 42 |   |   | 429 |   |   | 113 |   |
|     Net                    income                                                  |   | $                                         | 1,052  |                                       | $      | 414 |   | $ | 2,115 |   | $ | 1,359 |   |
|                                                                                                   |   |                                      |   |                                       |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
|                                                                                                   |   |                                      |   |                                       |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| **Balance                    Sheet Data:**                                                             |   |                                      |   |                                       |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
|                                                                                                   |   |                                      |   |                                       |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
|     Total                    assets                                                |   |                                      |   |                                       |   |   |   | $ | 245,926 |   | $ | 181,876 |   |
|     Loans,                    net                                                  |   |                                      |   |                                       |   |   |   |   | 165,118 |   |   | 131,039 |   |
|     Loans                    held for sale                                         |   |                                      |   |                                       |   |   |   |   | 15,380 |   |   | 10,328 |   |
|     Allowance                    for                    loan losses                |   |                                      |   |                                       |   |   |   |   | (2,029 | ) |   | (1,634 | ) |
|     Investment                    securities held to maturity                      |   |                                      |   |                                       |   |   |   |   | 9,366 |   |   | 5,847 |   |
|     Investment                    securities held for sale                         |   |                                      |   |                                       |   |   |   |   | 31,899 |   |   | 17,484 |   |
|     Deposits                                                                       |   |                                      |   |                                       |   |   |   |   | 208,244 |   |   | 154,875 |   |
|     Shareholders'                    equity                                        |   |                                      |   |                                       |   |   |   |   | 25,305 |   |   | 23,048 |   |
|                                                                                                   |   |                                      |   |                                       |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| **Performance                    Ratios:**                                                             |   |                                      |   |                                       |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
|                                                                                                   |   |                                      |   |                                       |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
|     Return                    on average assets                                    |   |                                      | 1.78   | %                                          |   | 0.89 | % |   | 1.00 | % |   | 0.76 | % |
|     Return                    on average equity                                    |   |                                      | 17.01  | %                                          |   | 7.23 | % |   | 8.82 | % |   | 6.09 | % |
|     Net                    interest margin                                         |   |                                      | 4.48   | %                                          |   | 4.14 | % |   | 4.32 | % |   | 3.78 | % |
|     Efficiency                    ratio                                            |   |                                      | 66.4   | %                                          |   | 78.3 | % |   | 74.1 | % |   | 81.2 | % |
|                                                                                                   |   |                                      |   |                                       |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| **Asset                    Quality:**                                                                  |   |                                      |   |                                       |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
|                                                                                                   |   |                                      |   |                                       |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
|     Nonaccrual                    loans                                            |   |                                      |   |                                       |   |   |   |   | 0 |   |   | 0 |   |
|     OREO                    property                                               |   |                                      |   |                                       |   |   |   |   | 0 |   |   | 0 |   |
|     Net                    charge-offs (recoveries)                                |   |                                      |   |                                       |   |   |   |   | (4 | ) |   | 8 |   |
|     Allowance                    for                    loan losses to total loans |   |                                      |   |                                       |   |   |   |   | 1.21 | % |   | 1.23 | % |
|     Nonperforming                    loans to total loans                          |   |                                      |   |                                       |   |   |   |   | 0.00 | % |   | 0.00 | % |
|                                                                                                   |   |                                      |   |                                       |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
|                                                                                                   |   |                                      |   |                                       |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| **Per                    Share Data:**                                                                 |   |                                      |   |                                       |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
|                                                                                                   |   |                                      |   |                                       |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
|     Earnings                    per                    share- Basic                |   | $                                         | 0.32   |                                       | $      | 0.13 |   | $ | 0.65 |   | $ | 0.42 |   |
|     Earnings                    per                    share- Diluted              |   | $                                         | 0.28   |                                       | $      | 0.11 |   | $ | 0.56 |   | $ | 0.37 |   |
|     Book                    value per share                                        |   |                                      |   |                                       |   |   |   |   | 7.75 |   |   | 7.20 |   |
|     Tangible                    book                    value                      |   |                                      |   |                                       |   |   |   |   | 7.39 |   |   | 6.83 |   |