PHC 3 Wolves 0

Raynel Lightbourne came off the bench to bag a brace as PHC Zebras pencilled their name into another final as they beat First Division outfit Wolves at Somerset Cricket Club in the FA Cup semi-finals yesterday.

League champions and Martonmere Cup champions PHC, who have already booked a date against North Village in the Friendship final next weekend, now await either Dandy Town or Boulevard as they aim for an historic quadruple crown.

"It wasn't about looking pretty today, it was about a chance to play in a final", said Zebras coach Kyle Lightbourne. "The pitch was a bit bobbly but we expected Wolves to come out and give us a tough game.

"There was nothing between the sides in the first half, but at the break I asked my players to settle down and play football."

Zebras relied on substitute Lightbourne to give them the advantage with the gangly striker making an immediate impact.

PHC had to wait until the second half to take the lead with the only real threat to either goal in the first period coming through a goalkeeping error by Wolves 'keeper David Trott. He made a hash of a through ball into his area and misjudged the bounce, allowing the ball to crash onto the post.

There were a few nervy moments early in the second half for Zebras fans when Wolves went forward searching for the elusive break, but it took until the 70th minute before the telling blow was struck.

A free kick deep in Wolves' territory was swung into the penalty area and met at the near post by a sliding Lightbourne, who redirected it towards goal.

The lanky striker's presence had a huge influence on the rest of the match as no one in a Wolves jersey could handle his intelligent runs off the ball.

For all their hard work, Wolves thought they had a way back into the match only for a penalty claim to fall on deaf ears.

The game as a contest was settled in the 85th minute when a ball that was played into the area reached Dennis Russell who made no mistake from 18 yards out, firing his into the roof of the net.

To add insult to injury, Trott's day was capped off by a mis-kick under pressure from Lightbourne, who had the simple task of slotting into an empty net for a third goal.

The keeper trudged back to his position, wishing the Somerset pitch would have opened up and swallowed him.

The scoreline didn't justify the heart and determination that Wolves put into the match, but on a day where pedigree was the difference between the sides it wasn't to be for the First Division side.

"In the first half we dominated for long periods, without really putting them under any real pressure", coach Lightbourne said. "And from the beginning of the second half we came out and showed our intentions.

"It became difficult for them (Wolves) when we got the first goal and from there on we seized the match and booked our place in the final."

With PHC scheduled to play two more games this season, the Friendship and FA Cup finals at the NSC, Lightbourne made his intentions known that his men will not get carried away with their success.

"We want to be Triple Crown champions so we have to win our next two games.

"Next weekend, we will have a few guys coming back from overseas to bolster our side, but North Village are a good side and the match can go either way."

With expectations high at the Warwick club, Lightbourne will see out the remaining two fixtures as if they were the opening round of the league.

"We will take one game at a time and I know how difficult it is as I have been in this situation as player before, and you must not let the hype surrounding what we can achieve take us away from our game.

"We will take one game at a time as the pressure will begin to build in the run-up to the two finals, so we will remain focused."

PHC: R.Glasford, J.Almeida, O.Shakir, M.Waldron, C.Dowling, B.Bean, J.Sealey, C.Furbert, D.Russell, K.Lambe (R.Lightbourne 65 mins), C.Robinson.

Wolves: D.Trott, H.Burrows, M.Williams, A.Brangman, M.Astwood, V.Minors, M.Dill, K.Smith, J.Peniston, A.Ebbin (N.Webb 79), D.Simmons.

Referee: A.Mouchette

Yellow cards: D.Simmons (Wolves), B.Bean (PHC).

Man of the Match: D.Russell.

IN the Women's FA Cup semi-final yesterday, Lady Cougars defeated North Village Lady Rams 3-2.

Akilah Berkeley-Bremar, Donte Allen and Tamisha Darrell scored for Lady Cougars, who took an early 3-0 lead in the first half while Lady Rams clawed their way back into the match to make it 3-2, courtesy of Helen Arcand and a converted spot kick by Chloe Martin.

There were no goals in the second half and Lady Cougars are now set to square off against Dandy Stars at the NSC for the Women's FA Cup.