PHC saved the best goal of the night for the end when Frank Ming's first goal of the season gave them the win that assured them of a place in the semi-finals next week against Devonshire Colts.

The Red Devils looked the better team overall but PHC can argue that the best team doesn't always win. It's goals that win games and the Zebras, even without top strikers Kyle Lightbourne and Sammy Swan who were watching from the sideline, managed to put more in the net than their opponents -- even after gifting them with an own goal in the first half.

Despite fielding a number of youngsters to make up for the absence of the World Cup players, both young teams managed to produce some fast paced football during the opening minutes.

Village fullback Albert Simons had a good first half down the left side and was behind most of Village's early raids. In the 10th minute he sent a ball down the left for Sean Dill to open the PHC defence only to wait for the perfect opportunity to shoot and eventually lose a good opportunity.

Keeper Leon Place, playing his first match of the season for Village, did well to keep out a shot from defender Dano Outerbridge following a Frank Ming corner on the right. At the other end immediately young Chris Belboda in the PHC goal had to hurry off his line to clear from the onrushing Sean Dill following another good ball forward by Simons.

Despite their lack of size the Village trio of Stephen Coddington, Kevin Jennings and Clinton Caisey saw plenty of the ball in midfield and often controlled the tempo of the game. Caisey, in particular, worked tirelessly throughout and collected a first half booking for a foul on Frank Ming.

It was Jennings who had a hand in the Village opener in the 27th minute. His intended cross from the left glanced off the head of Outerbridge and went into an empty goal as keeper Belboda was going the other way to cover the cross.

Against the run of play PHC scored twice in the space of a minute to turn the match around. The equaliser came when Place dropped a ball he looked to have covered and Michael Trott pounced quickly to poke the ball home from close range in the 35th minute.

A minute later the Zebras, needing to win to advance to the next round, took the lead for the first time when a cross from the left was knocked back at the far post by Trott and Kenny Mills headed in from close range, injuring himself in the process.

Two more goals came in the second half as Village wiped out the PHC lead from the penalty spot through Sean Dill after Sheridan Ming was blown down for handball in the 61st minute by referee Dennis Wainwright.

A draw would have been enough to take Village through to the semi finals but PHC charged back to snatch a winner in the 76th minute.

Derrick (Nails) Douglas put the ball inside the Village penalty area from a freekick and when the ball came off a defender on the left side Ming pivoted and struck a superb first time volley past the stunned Place to settle the match.

North Village: L.Place; A.Caisey, A.Simons, M.Hansey, K.Binns; S.Coddington, K.Jennings, C.Caisey; S.Hewey (P.Simmons 84min), S.Dill, T.Smith (J.Smith 79min).

PHC: C.Belboda; D.Outerbridge, R.Lewis, M.Dill, D.Douglas; B.Simons, O.Steede (M.Smith 69min), M.Trott (R.Lightbourne 60min); S.Ming, F.Ming, K.Mills.

Men of match: Clinton Caisey (Village); Mike Dill (PHC).

Referee: Dennis Wainwright.

WINNER -- Frank Ming's volley earned PHC a place in the semi-finals.