St George’s 1 PHC 2

Enrique Russell scored either side of half time as PHC kept pace with the Premier Division title contenders courtesy of a tight win against a depleted St George's at Wellington Oval on Sunday.

Victory for Cecoy Robinson’s side keeps them just a point behind league leaders Dandy Town with the coach confident that PHC are finding their form at the right time.

“We are building an identity but we are taking things one game at a time,” Robinson said. “We should have capitalised on our chances in the first half but I’m pleased with the victory.”

PHC edged the first half against a backdrop of driving winds and misty drizzle, but both sides created clear opportunities.

The away side fashioned the first two big chances inside ten minutes. First, T'syi Showers and Enrique Russell combined in the right channel, with the former striking towards the far bottom corner and forcing St George's goalkeeper Tahj Bell into a reflex save.

Kadeem Abraham and Haile Eve then failed to convert during a goalmouth scramble, which started when the home side failed to clear a cross by De-Aun Lodge at the back post.

Enrique Russell made the breakthrough in the thirteenth minute, gaining the reward PHC’s early dominance warranted. The forward made the most of the slippery conditions by whipping a free kick through the St George’s wall and into the near post, with second-choice keeper Bell unsighted.

PHC had a great opportunity to double their advantage seven minutes later when Eve fed Russell into space on the left side. However, the PHC striker failed to pick out anyone from his attempted cut back across the six-yard box.

St George’s were perhaps lucky to not concede any more goals but bossed the last 20 minutes of the first half.

Isai Gibbons could have levelled the scores after he was found by Malachi Trott on the right. He had his initial shot blocked by Jaylon Bather before his second effort cannoned off the crossbar.

The home side continued to attack PHC, who lost the control and accuracy of the opening exchanges, and got their equaliser nine minutes before half time.

Captain Kashe Hall played back for brother Blaiz on the right and he whipped his low effort around the despairing dive of Zebras goalkeeper Quinaceo Hunt and just inside the far post.

PHC picked up their game in the second half and could have gone ahead within five minutes of the restart. Simeon Burrows had a shot from distance that deflected off St George’s defender Jonas Schroder and on to the crossbar.

Substitute Harlem Bean-Fox was the attacking spark PHC needed to again unlock a solid home defence. He had a shot deflected by Maquel Nisbett-Tankard and Russell fired the rebound through a crowd of bodies past Bell.

St George's played the final five minutes a man light after Trott was given his marching orders for using foul language to referee Amaury Majors.

Scorers

St George’s: B Hall 36

PHC Zebras: Russell 13, 74

TEAMS

St George’s (4-3-3): T Bell 6 ― I Gibbons 7, J Schroder 6 (sub: T Lowe, 73min), N Paynter 6, M Nisbett-Tankard 6 ― L Evans 6, D Bascome 6 K Hall 6 ― M Trott 5, B Hall 6, L Lewis 6. Substitutes not used: T Hall Jr. Booked: Trott. Sent off: Trott.

PHC (4-2-3-1): Q Hunt 7 ― D Smith-Lightbourne 5, S Lewis 7, J Bather 6, K Abraham 5 (sub: A Nelson 83) ― D Lodge 5 (sub: D Usher, 63 6), E Joseph 6 ― H Eve 6 (sub: H Bean-Fox, 63 7), S Burrows 5 (sub: J Ebbin, 76), T Showers 5 (sub: J Sealey, 76) ― E Russell 7. Substitutes not used: R Woodley-Smith, J Hassell. Booked: Lodge, Eve, Bean-Fox, K Lightbourne (assistant coach).

Referee: A Majors.