On a day when they surrendered their Premier Division title to North Village, Cougars were still able to show flashes of last season?s memorable form with this emphatic victory at a rain and windswept Southampton Oval.

Cougars scored two goals in each half to brush aside opponents who were competitive in the first half and for a period in the second before capitulating and luckily avoiding a much more comprehensive loss.

Cougars? goals came from Aljame Zuill, an own goal by Marquel Waldron, Clevon Hill and Heys Wolfe while PHC?s lone effort was netted by Dennis Russell in the first half.

What was remarkable about this game was that star Cougars goalscorer Raymond Beach failed to get on the scoresheet, although he had plenty of chances.

Always a menace to the opposing defence, Beach?s enterprising dribbling during Cougars attack threatened to deliver a goal, but mostly they ended with depressingly poor shots.

However, after 18 minutes it was Beach who contributed to the opening goal when his blast from 14 yards was sensationally blocked by goalkeeper Raymon Glasford. But the rebound fell to Zuill who coolly placed it home from a few yards out.

PHC slowly settled down and had their first scoring chance after 25 minutes when a free kick by Omar Shakir from just outside of the box was saved by a diving Ricardo Brangman.

Two minutes later in a game played at a surprisingly high level under such tough conditions, Cougars were handed a gift by a stretched defence. Young PHC defender Waldron, under pressure from Beach, was unable to clear and subsequently decided to pass back to his goalkeeper who was left stranded as the surprise delivery sped past him into goal.

Although falling further behind, PHC created sufficient openings to draw level. They should have got their first goal after 31 minutes but veteran Sammy Swan came up with the first of several blown chances, firing over from inside the box.

Six minutes later the Zebras got the goal they deserved from Dennis Russell after a quick counter attack.

However, Clevon Hill virtually sealed victory for Cougars after 60 minutes with their third goal after his skipper, Kwame Steede, and Beach combined to create the opening.

The goal really dismantled PHC whose overall game now disintegrated with nobody up front threatening.

Wolfe made it 4-1 after 64 minutes after receiving a ball from Beach and from then on it was Cougars who dominated, creating sufficient chances to bury their opponents.

Beach, however, discovered it wasn?t to be his day, wasting several chances. One miss came after 67 minutes when he fired at goalkeeper Glasford from point black range and another after 75 minutes when fired wide from 12 yards.

He then sensationally dribbled past three defenders only to shoot fiercely against the post.

PHC?s lone scoring effort near the end came from midfielder Blenn Bean whose blast from 25 yards forced Brangman to make a good save.

Cougars finished the game off with a huge miss, this time big substitute Mark Steede putting his shot wide from a mere five yards out. R.Glasford; M.Fubler (K.Lambe, 56 mins), S.Lewis, S.Smith (A.Russell, 68 mins), D.Wilson; M.Waldron, O.Shakir, B.Bean, J.Malbry; D.Russell (T.Russell, 63 mins), S.Swan. Subs not used: Q.Hunt, M.Williams.

R.Brangman; J.Butterfield (R.Baker, 84 mins), I.Mallory, D.Cox, J.DeShields; N.Robinson, C.Hill (D.Coddington, 66 mins), K.Steede; R.Beach, A.Zuill, H.Wolfe. Subs not used: J.Dill, O.Butterfield.

N.Robinson (Cougars).

Stanton Lewis (PHC); Kwame Steede (Cougars).

Lyndon Raynor.