St. Davids 3 Hamilton Parish 5

A spot-kick hat-trick by Damon Edwards was the highlight of a remarkable recovery by Hamilton Parish against St. David's in the First Division Shield last night, writes Colin Thompson.

Down 3-1 at half-time the Peppers appeared dead and buried but they turned things around in the second half, scoring four goals and booking their place in the semi-finals with a 5-3 win.

The islanders threw down the gauntlet in the very first minute at St. John's Field when Dejuan Paynter scored a brilliant goal from a direct free-kick. The effort from all of 25 yards left `keeper Jamie Cedenio grasping at the ball's wake.

Aroused, Parish applied the pressure and Irving Burgess had the ball in the back of the net five minutes later. Unfortunately, it was deemed offside and before they could mount another attack they were 2-0 down. This time it was Kevin Lambe who was quickest to a Worrell Bean rebound.

Parish finally got on the scoresheet in the 15th minute courtesy of a Sean Dill strike. But the islanders were not finished and extended their lead to 3-1 after Cedenio first failed to hold onto the ball and then inadvertently redirected Bean's corner from the left over the goalline.

The goal prompted Parish coach Alton Caisey to replace Cedenio with Dwayne Astwood moments before the half.

The islanders were seemingly in control of the proceedings, but Parish thought otherwise and began to attack relentlessly.

As the second-half progressed Damon Edwards and Tareek Caisey came to the fore.

Not once, not twice, but on three occasions, Caisey was hacked in the box and with all three penalties Edwards was a picture of composure, beating George O'Brien Jr. to his right on each occasion for his treble. Burgess wrapped matters up at the end.