Dandy Town 0 PHC Zebras 0

PHC Zebras and North Village both advanced to the semi-finals of the Dudley Eve Trophy with a group match to spare after Dandy Town were eliminated.

Town crashed out with no points from their two group A matches after losing 2-0 against a well-organised Zebras side in the opening match of a doubleheader at Goose Gosling Field last night.

Goals from Bermuda players Cecoy Robinson and Tre Ming condemned Hornets, who missed several chances, to their second successive defeat.

Zebras also squandered plenty of opportunities before Ming pounced late.

“We had to work hard for it tonight,” Robinson, the PHC captain, said. “The game was pretty much wide open and we should have put our chances away.

“Dandy Town missed a few chances but as long as we stayed tight, push hard and keep working for one another, we knew it would work out for us.”

Marco Warren, the Zebras midfielder, was a significant factor in his team’s win with his hard work at both ends of the pitch. “Marco definitely gave us a different dimension,” Robinson added.

Town dominated the early exchanges with Damon Ming’s inviting cross going untouched in front of an open goal after Quinaceo Hunt failed to gather at his near post.

Oneko Lowe had a low shot was saved after Zebras were caught in possession deep in their own half. After weathering the pressure, Zebras began to press and went agonisingly close when Ming’s free kick from 30 yards crashed onto the crossbar before the Omari Tucker headed Robinson’s cross wide.

Zebras finally made the breakthrough, Robinson steering Ming’s pass past Troy Hall, the Town goalkeeper, from close range. Town nearly responded with an equaliser, but Hunt rushed off his line to clear the ball from Lowe’s feet.

Lowe then fired an Angelo Simmons rebound into an open net but the goal was ruled offside. He then wasted two glorious opportunities. Town enjoyed a good spell in the second half but were again unable to penetrate the Zebras defence.

PHC substitute Kenneth Matthie had the ball in the net but the effort was ruled offside. By now, a rampant Zebras were all over their opponents and it came as no surprise when Ming killed the game off six minutes from time with a low drive.

“Unfortunately the result doesn’t allow us to go through to the next round,” Cal Blankendal, the Town assistant coach, said.

“The first 45 minutes we were very good, but the second 45 we never really got started.”

Dandy Town (4-3-3): T Hall — K Lathan, T Manders (sub: O Wilson, 86), L Emery, N Dante-Smith — E Blankendal, Z Burchall (sub: J Eve, 72), D Ming — O Lowe, J Swan (sub: T Wilson, 63), A Simmons. Booked: Dante-Smith. Substitutes not used: G Liburd, D Walker.

PHC (4-2-3-1): Q Hunt — K Abraham, D Usher, R DeShields, D Smith-Lightbourne — D Lodge (sub: D Dowling, 39), O Tucker (sub: K Matthie, 62) — M Warren, Z Lee (sub: J Iris, 81), T Ming — C Robinson. Booked: DeShields. Substitutes not used: S Trott, M Lambe, D Davis, K Hypolite

Referee: T Simmons