WHETHER PHC can become the first team to win 10 FA Cup titles will depend largely on how fast they recover from last weekend's 7-3 hammering at the hands of North Village in the Friendship final.

Battered and bruised, the Zebras had only a few days to recover from the humiliating loss which ended their hopes of landing the Triple Crown. Now Dandy Town stand between them and a record 10th win in the FA Cup final ¿ a trophy PHC last won 16 long years ago.

Ironically, Dandy Town were also PHC's opponents in that 1992 final, going down 2-1 as Kyle Lightbourne notched a 73rd minute winner from the penalty spot. It was his 33rd goal of that season, his last before becoming a professional in England.

Now back with PHC as coach, Lightbourne has guided the team to the Martonmere Cup and league title. PHC have built their success this season around a rock solid defence which conceded just 12 league goals. But the seven North Village put past them last Sunday clearly stunned the team as Village, who narrowly lost out to PHC in the league race, ended the season with their second trophy.

Most teams are especially vulnerable after a heavy defeat, so certainly Town will be looking to capitalise on PHC's loss last weekend. In Heys Wolfe and Darron (Duke) Simons they have two front players capable of making it another tough day for the PHC defence. However, if they take it for granted that things will be easy for them, then the Hornets could be stung by a Zebras backlash.

Despite the 7-3 thrashing, PHC did play their part in making it one of the most exciting finals in several years. Twice they fought back to equalise after Village took the lead, and even at 4-2 down at half time, it was still an open game with PHC knowing that an early second half goal would put them right back in the game.

However, two unanswered goals at the other end by Keishen Bean and Ralph Bean effectively put the match out of the Zebras' reach at 6-2.

By the time the teams took time to catch their breath in this frantic final, 10 goals had been scored in the highest scoring final in history.

"Basically the way PHC play we don't try to make it an open game like that," said coach Lightbourne. "It just turned out like that with Village scoring first and us coming back. We never really got into our stride.

"I said to the players that we based our whole season on closing people down and denying them the space to play. Those are the things any team has to do. Village closed us down well, moved the ball a lot better than us so consequently they were on top of the game and caused us a few problems. As a team we didn't play well and as individuals we didn't play well."

Lightbourne offered no excuses for the loss ¿ in fact he insisted his players be gracious in defeat and give Village the respect they deserved after their third win over the Zebras this season.

"They have had the better of us during the season," Lightbourne conceded. "Of the two draws we had with them we should have blown them off the park."

From Village's standpoint the scoreline gives them plenty to brag about during the summer months.

"I thought it would be a closer than that, but on the day Village were 10 times better than us," said Lightbourne.

"I put my hands up and congratulated Village. There has to be a winner and a loser but nobody likes to get to a final and have seven goals put past them. I'm disappointed but the result was the right result."

Dandy Town represent another tough outing at the stadium as two of their players, defender Otis Steede and striker Antwan Russell, have the added motivation of playing against their former team.

Town underachieved during the recent campaign and the FA final represents their last chance to salvage something from a mediocre season which saw them finish in mid-table and have their coach Devarr Boyles resign.

"What we're looking to do now is get it right, get the players refocused on the job at hand," said Lightbourne whose team still have their sights on a third trophy for 2007-08.

Lightbourne will have two players back after missing last weekend's final, defender Blenn Bean and midfielder Keston Lewis, a Trinidadian whom Lightbourne describes as a good ball handler.

"We're going to put a game plan in pace for Sunday and just hope that the players carry it out," said the coach.

"Dandy Town will think they have a chance, but we're trying to be the first team to 10 FA Cups. That's a big thing as well.

"I got my players to go over to the North Village players afterwards, to show some respect for them and to let them feel what it is like to lose. A few of the players were hurting and, as they say in sports, you have to watch out for the walking wounded!"

Sunday's action begins with the Under 18 final at noon between Southampton Rangers and Somerset Eagles, to be followed at 2.00 by the women's final between Lady Cougars and Dandy Stars. Stars were beaten by Prospect in last year's final. The FA Cup final will kick off at 4 p.m.