FA Cup champions Vasco are heading for this year's final in the worst possible fashion after yesterday's miserable performance at PHC Stadium.

Vasco were outhustled and outplayed by PHC to such an extent that they could have been blown off the park in the second half.

Dwight Basden's opening goal in the end served as mere flattery for a side who have apparently begun to rest on their laurels in the hope that the opposition will lay down for them.

But PHC did not make it easy and their endeavour was rewarded with Kenny Mills and Jamal Robinson scoring to give them a half-time lead and substitute Raynel Lightbourne netting in the second half.

Vasco had no leader on this day, though there were several on the field capable of filling the post, as far too much of their energies were spent in petty bickering.

Their arrogance actually seemed justified after the first goal.

Basden scored over Ellsworth Bean in the 13th minute after the goalkeeper came for a ball knocked forward, stopped and slipped.

Bean, who started the season in goal for the Zebras, looked anything but confident at this juncture. But he did recover to make a few fine reflex saves to keep Vasco at bay.

PHC's equaliser came in the 22nd minute when Mills scored from 15 yards out on the right after Blenn Bean and Damon Francis provided the spadework.

The Zebras should have taken the lead two minutes later but Winston Trott had the first of two bad misses when he side-footed wide from six yards on the end of a Mills cross.

At the other end, Bean got down well to deflect an Irving Burgess shot over the top, then right-back Stephen Trott hustled back to deny Burgess after a good ball forward from Larance Durham.

Stephen Trott was instrumental in providing the Zebras with the lead in the 38th minute as his cross found its way to left side of the penalty area for Robinson to swivel and strike a right-foot shot from 15 yards that left Keenan Tucker grasping air.

The goal stung Vasco into action and Bean made up for a handling error on Earl Richardson's free kick by acrobatically saving Burgess' follow-up header.

Vasco went into the half confident they could turn things around; perhaps too confident.

It was PHC who called the tune for the most part, inspired by Sheridan Ming.

Burgess and Basden were given a rough time by the hard-tackling PHC defenders while sweeper Frankie Ming did a creditable mop-up job to limit Vasco to long-range shots.

The best chance for Vasco came in the 53rd minute but Kentoine Jennings was jolted by a team-mate and his header zipped just wide.

PHC made a defensive replacement soon after as Quincy Hunt took over in goal for Bean.

Substitutions dominated the middle part of the half and one of them paid off for PHC as Lightbourne scored merely a minute after coming on for Francis. The former Under-23 star was fed by Robinson at the top of the area before side-stepping Paul Towlson and Donovan Livingston and beating Tucker at the near post with a 15-yarder.

Sheridan Ming came close minutes later after a strong run , then Vasco had a headed Livingston goal disallowed for offside in the 78th minute.

Trott's second unbelievable miss came with two minutes left when Tucker casually attempted to clear a back-pass from 10 yards out. The forward pressured, blocked the kick and then flicked it goalward from six yards. But Tucker's blushes were spared as the ball came back into his arms off the bar.

PHC: E.Bean (Q.Hunt, 62 mins); R.Lewis, M.Wade, F.Ming, S.Trott; B.Bean (M.Roberts, 80 mins), D.Francis (R.Lightbourne, 67 mins), S.Ming; K.Mills, J.Robinson, W.Trott.

Vasco: K.Tucker; E.Richardson, P.Towlson, D.Livingston, D.Stapley; W.Burgess, K.Jennings, L.Durham (S.Gibbons, 64 mins), M.Ray; I.Burgess, D.Basden (K.Dill, 64 mins).

Referee: Peter Sousa.

Men of the match: Sheridan Ming (PHC); Irving Burgess (Vasco).