PHC 2

Devonshire Cougars 1

(PHC win after extra-time)

Sometimes football can be a cruel game as veteran 'keeper Dwayne "Streaker" Adams painfully experienced in last night's Friendship semi-final.

With just seconds of extra-time remaining, under pressure Cougars defender Kijuan Franks cushioned a routine header back towards goal for Adams to scoop up.

But the Bermuda international, who had hitherto been in inspired form, horribly misjudged his gather and somehow allowed the ball to trickle into the vacant net, gifting PHC a precious victory at BAA.

Cougars coach Shawn Smith quite rightly refused to criticise his keeper who pulled off a stream of splendid saves in the second-half of extra-time alone to keep Cougars in the hunt.

"He (Adams) made some great saves for us throughout the game and it's a really unfortunate way to be knocked-out of the competition. It was right at the death and it's tough take.

"But I was proud of all the players. PHC are one of the fittest teams around and we matched them all the way.

"We've reached two cup finals and a semi-final and we're not out of the title race yet, so it's still been a successful season for us. We'll keep going and try and finish with as many points as we can now."

A second-half strike from Cougars substitute Shaki Pearman had cancelled out Kevin Lambe's close range finish, which had given PHC a perfect start in the second minute, to send the game into an entertaining extra-time.

Normal-time had been a cagey affair with PHC having the best chances through Dennis Russell, who sent a close range effort harmlessly over the bar, and Chris Furbert who blazed Raynel Lightbourne's pull-back high and wide.

But as fatigue set into the players' tired limbs the game opened up with both teams having chances to claim a coveted place in the competition's final. Cougars Domico Coddington struck an audacious long-distance effort past Jay Smith, which cannoned off the post.

The second-half of added time saw PHC in the ascendancy with Adams demonstrating his vast experience with an array of fine stops. First up was Cecoy Robinson who saw his one-on-one effort batted away by the gloveman.

Undeterred, Robinson came calling again but was met with the same defiant response with Adams palming his placed shot away from danger. Next up stepped Lightbourne who was presented with the best chance of all but didn't even force "Streaker" into action, dragging his shot well wide when bearing down on goal.

In this sort of form Adams would have probably swallowed it up anyway had it been on target. And that made his aberration all the more tragic.

PHC:

J.Smith J.Almedia, O.Shakir, K.Richards C.Dowling, B.Bean, C.Furbert, K.Lewis (C.Robinson 78), J.Ball, K.Lambe (R.Lightbourne 60), D.Russell (A.Grant 104)

Devonshire Cougars:

D.Adams, D.Cox, J.DeShields, K.Franks, J.Butterfield (S.Pearman 65), R.Robinson, A.Gibbons, M.Steede (R.Beach 65), K.Steede, D.Coddington, T.Steede

Yellow Cards

O.Shakir (PHC)

R.Lightbourne (PHC)

B.Bean (PHC)

Referee

J. Villamarin

Men-of-the-match

C.Furbert (PHC)

D.Adams (Devonshire Cougars)