PHC 9 Young Men’s Social Club 2

PHC captain Enrique Russell expressed his delight after scoring the first hat-trick of the season in his team’s big win over Young Men’s Social Club in a Dudley Eve Trophy group match at Bernard Park on Monday.

The experienced striker converted twice either side of half time, completing his hat-trick from the penalty spot after the break.

“A good four goals and I could have scored more but that’s just me being hard on myself because I know my standards,” Russell said.

“I think it’s good to get off the mark and start the season with a lot of goals like that. We could’ve played a little better in terms of conceding them two goals and we should’ve locked it in better down the back, but a good result and practice match.

“First game of the season so it’s good to get a win. A lot things to work on and we just move on from there.”

PHC coach Cecoy Robinson was thrilled to start the season on the front foot.

“Obviously the conditions always make the game a little scrappier, but for us the result was the most important part to start the season off in the right way,” he said.

With the win all but secured by half time, Robinson used the opportunity to give some of the younger players in his team precious minutes on the pitch.

“It’s a long season and today was a good day to get some of our youngsters on, so we brought on three 16-year-olds,” he said.

Jeze Butterfield (2), Tristen Davis, Daniel Cook and Angelo Matthews (own goal) accounted for PHC’s remaining goals, while Kimshun Smith and captain Zeiko Lewis replied for Bluebirds.

The match kicked off in torrential rain with winger Butterfield opening the scoring in the first minute with Zebras’ first raid on Social Club’s goal, finishing off a fluent build-up down the left side.

Russell opened his account four minutes later after converting on a breakaway and added another in the thirteenth minute as the men in black and white began to open the floodgates.

At this stage it was no longer a question of would PHC win but rather by how many as they kept up their relentless assault.

Midfielder Davis headed home from a free kick while Butterfield grabbed his second and Social Club midfielder Matthews netted in his own net to leave a rampant Zebras in full control at 6-0.

Smith pulled one back for Bluebirds after getting on the end of player/coach Marcelos Thomas’ free- kick from close range just before the break.

Russell completed his hat-trick in the 57th minute from 12 yards after being brought down in the area. The PHC captain then grabbed his fourth and his team’s eighth in the 68th minute after capitalising on another breakaway.

Lewis scored Social Club’s second after also converting on a breakaway before Cook scored Zebras’ ninth in the second minute of second-half stoppage time to round off the scoring.

Despite suffering a heavy defeat, acting Bluebirds coach Troy Lewis praised his players for their perseverance under trying circumstances.

“We had only 11 players today and the team did good. We hung in there and was able to play but the biggest issue for us is not being prepared because we were not ready to play in the Premier Division,” he said.

“Getting the last minute call-up, guys have other commitments that they already had for the beginning of the season and we were expecting to be starting in October in the First Division, so some guys with prior commitments caused us to be short.

“But at the end of it I thought these guys did very well; 11 players playing 90 minutes and still scoring and getting chances.”

Scorers

PHC: Russell, 5, 13, 57, 68; Butterfield 1, 30; Davis 22; Matthews og 37; Cook 90+2

Social Club: Smith 44; Lewis 75

PHC: T Hall, K Abraham, E Russell, E King-Mills, S Lewis, Z Lee, J Joseph, D Cook, N Brockington, T Davis, J Butterfield. Substitutes: K White, Q Hunt, J Franco, J Hassell, N Griffith, R Kunze, T Wilson

Social Club: C Smith, K Butterfield, Z Lewis, A Matthews, E Mensah, Q Simmons, J Smith, K Smith, B Swan, M Thomas, M Wilson.

Referee: D Jackson