PHC Zebras took a giant step towards appearing in a record 18th FA Cup final ? and the first since 1992 ? after easily brushing aside sole surviving Commercial team MR Onions at BAA Field yesterday.

First half strikes by Kevin Lambe and Chris Furbert and a brilliant second half solo effort by substitute Antwon Russell ultimately sealed Onions? cup fate ? and any ideas the Commercial side might have had of pulling off another upset over Premier Division opposition.

Lambe forged Zebras ahead after only three minutes of play and by the 16th minute the men in black were all but assured of advancing to next round when Furbert converted from a corner.

Super sub Russell then rubbed salt into Onions? wound by finishing off a clever move involving himself and fellow second half substitute Raynel (Manga) Lightbourne.

It was a match in which Zebras clearly dominated but left much to be desired with their finishing touch in front of goal.

But despite falling behind to an early two-goal Zebras blitz, Onions still managed to give a good account of themselves by keeping pace with their more youthful opposition for long spells.

In fact, the Commercial side nearly clawed their way back into contention early in the second half through big striker Colin Keane. Given acres of room down the right side, Keane?s curling effort slipped through the hands of Zebras? custodian Raymon Glasford only to come back off the woodwork.

But instead of turning the match on its head, Keane?s effort only served as a wake up call for a Zebras side that seemed to take their foot off the gas after storming out to an early lead.

Zebras midfielder Blenn Bean must have touched every blade of grass with some penetrative forays in Onions? terrain along with Lambe, who repeatedly cut a path to goal, while at the back, sweeper Tokia Russell was a picture of composure playing with all the confidence in the world.

Zebras goalkeeper-turned-striker Quincy Hunt, however, might have to reconsider his decision to switch positions as he was guilty of squandering numerous chances to add to his team?s tally.

But from the very outset, Onions were always facing an uphill climb once Lambe opened the scoring early. The alert striker timed Furbert?s defence-splitting pass to perfection before pausing for a moment or two and beating Chris Hewson to his left with a full-blooded half volley.

Before Onions could regroup, the Commercial side found themselves trailing by two goals when Lambe went from goalscorer to provider with an accurate cross that was met by the thunderous right boot of Furbert in the middle.

However, despite the early setbacks, Onions shifted into a higher gear and gradually began to create chances of their own.

With strikers Keane and Eothan O?Dwyer chiselling away at the Zebras defence and midfielders Garrett Mulvin and Mike Neville also working hard in the middle, Onions began a brave fight back.

Midway through the half O?Dwyer had an overhead kick saved by Glasford while Keane left his team-mates stranded in the box after applying too much heat on a cross following an enterprising run down the right side.

But Bean?s 25 yard sizzler that narrowly missed the mark at the opposite end gave Onions a chilling reminder just why Zebras are regarded as the ?strike force?.

Play in the second half of this FA Cup quarter-final tie proved mostly uneventful as Zebras ? in particular Hunt and Omar Shakir ? continued to waste good opportunities.

In the space of a minute, both players missed absolute sitters, Shakir blasting over the top of an empty net and Hunt shooting right into the hands of Hewson from point-blank range.

Zebras coach Mark Wade must have grown tired of watching his frontmen make a hash of things as he used all three substitutions within a three minute span, though Lambe?s afternoon was cut short through injury.

And the coach?s decision paid off as subs Lightbourne and Russell combined to completely kill off Onions? cup hopes shortly after Keane watched his effort come back off the upright.

Sandwiched between two defenders, Lightbourne took a high pass down on his chest before slipping the ball into the empty space to send Russell racing towards goal. Though the Onions defence managed to recover, Russell skilfully waltzed his way past two defenders and barely held his footing long enough to poke the ball into the empty net after the ?keeper had advanced off his line.

Zebras sub Mike Williams then nearly scored what might have been the goal of the match, curling a right-footed shot inches wide of the target after leaving three defenders in his wake.: C.Hewson, S.Smith (J.Lally, 78 mins), L.Dwyer, C.Fleming, K.Donald (G.Fraser, 79 mins), R.Coen, G.Mulvin, M.Neville (G.Garnett, 88 mins), G.Fyfe, C.Keane, E.O?Dwyer.: R.Glasford, A.Furbert, R.Richardson, T.Russell, C.Dowling, K.Lambe (M.Williams, 68 mins), C.Furbert, B.Bean, J.Raynor (A.Russell, 68 mins), Q.Hunt (R.Lightbourne, 71 mins), O.Shakir.: G.Fyfe (Onions); K.Lambe (PHC).: C.Keane (Onions); C.Furbert (PHC).: Anthony Mouchette.