PHC 1

Dandy Town 2

Nine-man Dandy Town Hornets came from behind to edge PHC Zebras and inch closer to an eighth Premier Division title at PHC Field yesterday.

Cecoy Robinson, the PHC captain, gave the home side the lead on 67 minutes when he pounced on a loose ball in the box and smashed it past Mikkail Crockwell, the Town goalkeeper.

Town have earned a reputation for mounting late fightbacks but apparently PHC did not receive the memo as the visiting side hit back twice inside of four minutes with goals from Angelo Simmons and Quadir Maynard.

Town ended this evenly fought contest two men short as Damon Ming picked up a second yellow card in the 87th minute for time-wasting, and fellow midfielder Drewonde Bascome was rushed to hospital in stoppage time after having difficulty breathing.

After a long delay, PHC were unable to cash in on their numerical advantage as Town held on to maintain their comfortable nine-point lead at the top of the table.

Town had a score to settle after losing twice to PHC this term in the Dudley Eve Trophy and Friendship Trophy competitions and forced the home side on the back foot early, with the menacing Ming wreaking havoc down the left channel with some superb dribbling.

After absorbing early pressure PHC began to get into a groove and went close when Castle just failed to get a boot to Robinson’s cross on a quick break.

The game opened up midway through the first half as both teams desperately sought the breakthrough.

Bascome wasted a free kick after Mikey Lambe dropped Ming just outside of the box while at the other end Robinson’s inviting cross went untouched as his team-mates failed to attack the ball.

Town threatened again when Lynn Tucker, the midfielder, had a back-heel cleared away.

Town argued that PHC handled Tucker’s effort in the area and should have been awarded a penalty. But referee Ronue Cann ruled otherwise.

PHC finished the opening stanza the stronger of the two sides with Crockwell making a reflex save to block Rakeem DeShield’s header from Shakir Smith’s corner.

Smith then hurried a shot wide with time and space to spare after Robinson’s delicate pass sent the midfielder in the clear.

PHC came out guns blazing at the start of the second half and were confident they had earned a penalty after Town appeared to have handled Robinson’s free kick in the area. But once again the referee was unmoved and Town were let off the hook.

Crockwell made back-to-back saves at his near post to deny Castle as PHC continued to dominate possession.

Town’s luck finally ran out when Robinson broke the deadlock. Castle was challenged inside the box and Robinson followed up to crash the loose ball past Crockwell at the near post.

PHC’s afternoon started to unravel at the seams with Jonathan Ball, the left back and club president, being replaced after pulling a hamstring.

By now Town had caught their second wind and after stretching their opponents would deliver two devastating blows to leave the home side for dead.

Sloppy defending by Lambe, the PHC defender, allowed Simmons and free run at goal and the Town captain and striker capitalised with a low finish inside the bottom right corner.

Maynard then grabbed the winner with the goal of the game. The Town striker cut in from the right, rode a tackle near the touchline and after switching the ball onto his left foot beat Daniel Johnson, the PHC goalkeeper, from a tight angle with a shot that went in off the underside of the bar.

Maynard pulled a groin moments later and had to be replaced.

Town were reduced to ten men when Ming received a second yellow card nine minutes from time and then to nine after Bascome left the game after experiencing trouble breathing.

Scorers

PHC (Robinson 67)

Dandy Town (Simmons 74, Maynard 78)

PHC Zebras (4-4-2): D Johnson — J Ball (sub: J Warren-Smith, 65min), M Lambe, N Griffith, J Raynor — M Waldron (sub: R Richardson, 82), R DeShields, D Dowling, C Robinson — S Smith, C Castle (sub: M Burchall, 81). Deshields. Substitutes not used: Q Hunt, K Abraham, O Tucker, D Usher. Booked: Griffith,

Dandy Town (3-5-2): M Crockwell — L Millet, S Darrell, K Tucker — D Bascome, T Goater, F Frankson (sub: J Swan, 53), D Ming, L Tucker (sub: K Davis, 75) — Q Maynard (sub: A Lowe, 81), A Simmons. Substitutes not used: A Daniels, E Blankendal, R Tucker. Sent off: Ming, 87.

Referee: R Cann.