Somerset Trojans 1

PHC Zebras 4

PHC Zebras stomped all over an uninspired Somerset Trojans at the Den yesterday to advance to the Friendship Trophy semi finals.

High- flying Zebras dominated this drab cup affair from start to finish but had to wait until after the break before finally putting Trojans out of their misery.

Leading by example, PHC captain Chris Furbert put his team ahead after 25 minutes when he buried a searching free- kick before a Jahnai Ryanor brace and a late insurance goal from sub Raynel Lightbourne rubbed salt in the wound.

Trojans' sub Jelani Butterfield pulled one back for the West Enders though by then the dye had long been cast.

Despite the win, PHC coach Kyle Lightbourne might not have been too pleased with his front men who, on numerous occasions, wasted golden opportunities in front goal with Dennis Russell, Cecoy Robinson and Keston Lewis among the chief culprits.

"We missed a couple of chances to score today," Lightbourne acknowledged afterwards.

The former Coventry City striker used yesterday's cup tie as an opportunity to rest a few key players and blood others such as 16-year-old Casey Castle who shone brightly on his debut in top flight football.

"Young Casey has been training with us all season and he understands how we want to play and what we are trying to achieve. Today he had an opportunity to play and he showed just what he is capable of at this level and hopefully we will see a lot more of him."

After going close on several occassions, Zebras took the lead when Furbert's free kick from all of 30 yards curled around the wall and went in off the upright.

At this juncture a Zebras blow-out many had predicted seemed on the cards as the men in black threatened to cut loose. But chance after chance went begging and at the break all PHC had to show for their dominance was a slim 1-0 advantage.

However, Zebras rediscovered their scoring touch when play resumed, hitting three more past Trojans' goalie Richard Campbell to put the match away.

Raynor doubled PHC's lead in the 55th minutes when he slammed Russell's pass in the box past the hapless Campbell before nodding home Blenn Bean's cross hardly before the dust had settled.

Butterfield shaved Trojans' deficit to two when he stabbed the ball across the line from a goalmouth scramble.

But it didn't take long for Zebras to hit back, with sub Lightbourne netting Zebras' fourth and final goal minutes from the end to send his team through to a third straight cup semi final this season.

Somerset: R.Campbell, S.Riley, J.Tucker, R.Cann, D.Minors, S.Mendes, C.Robinson (J.Butterfield, 70 mins), J.Scott, D.Basden (D.Swan, 70 mins), D.Stovell (D.Lister, 89 mins), R.Wilson.

PHC: R.Glasford, C.Castle (K.Hewey, 73 mins), M.Waldron, S.Fubler, C.Dowling, B.Bean, K.Lewis (J.Almeida, 70 mins), C.Furbert, D.Russell (R.Lightbourne, 69 mins), J.Raynor, C.Robinson.

Yellow card: C.Castle.

Referee: L.Raynor.

Men of the match: C.Castle (PHC); S.Riley (Trojans).