Striker Kenny Mills scored with less than 10 minutes left to give champions PHC their first league victory of the season.

With time running out, Mills picked up a header inside the six-yard area and beat St. George's Colts goalkeeper Troy Hall with a firm shot.

It was no more than PHC deserved, but they could easily have ended up losing a game they controlled for long periods.

On the few occasions when St. George's did threaten to score, they managed to create at least three clear-cut chances.

But Philip Bailey epitomised their woeful finishing when he blasted high over the bar from four yards out in the dying minutes.

He paid for his miss when he was substituted seconds later.

After an initial flourish in the first half, Colts played second fiddle for much of a scrappy game.

PHC started piling on the pressure in the latter part of the half and gave Colts defender Earl Basden, in particular, a torrid time.

Basden was lucky not to be sent off in the 37th minute when he pulled down Mills after the stirker left him for dead and was homing in on goal.

Although it seemed a blatant professional foul, referee Richard Knight, officiating his first top-flight appointment of the season, gave Basden the benefit of the doubt and only booked him.

Frank Ming wasted the ensuing free kick when he failed to trouble the 'keeper with a curling shot that sailed high over the bar.

St. George's best efforts in the first half came from long balls for their right-winger Steven Denbrook to chase.

But these occasional forays into dangerous positions were quickly snuffed out by PHC's man of the match, left-back Shawn Simmons.

Colts came storming out after half-time and could easily have taken the lead virtually straight from the kick-off.

PHC were still waiting for their first touch in the second half when Greg Foggo raced onto a ball on Colts' left wing.

But he hurried his shot and miscued from 25 yards out when he had time and space to dribble towards goal.

PHC again took control but were desperately missing their national team players Kyle Lightbourne and Sammy Swan up front.

Despite playing some pretty soccer, their make-shift forward line-up appeared reluctant to shoot.

In a bid to change matters, PHC brought on Raynell Lightbourne up front for Shawn Simons after 63 minutes.

A minute later, PHC 'keeper Chris Belboda suffered a leg injury in a 50-50 challenge when racing out to save what appeared a certain goal. He was later replaced by Jason Robinson.

The Zebras had the ball in the back of the net in the 75th minute but referee Knight blew up for a foul on the 'keeper.

Five minutes later, Foggo again got himself in a good scoring position for the Colts on the left wing but, once more, he rushed his shot and fired wide to the left of the goal.

Just when it seemed that the game was destined to be scoreless, Mills struck at the death.

Winger Michael Trott, who often looked dangerous towards the end, should have made it two nil when he picked up the ball unmarked on the edge of the 18-yard box.

But he waited too long to shoot and was robbed of the ball while still making up his mind what to do.

St. George's: T.Hall, A.Todd, E.Basden, D.Minors, P.Fubler, P. Bailey (D.Richardson, 84 mins), J Cieters, G.Foggo, S.Denbrook, M.Outerbridge, Q.Francis (D.Tyrrell, 65 mins).

PHC: C.Belboda (J.Robinson, 64 mins), D.Outerbridge, S.Simmons, M.Dill, D.Douglas, O.Steede, F.Ming, S.Ming, S.Simons (R.Lightbourne, 63 mins), M.Trott, K.Mills.

Referee: Richard Knight.

Men of the match: Steven Denbrook (St. George's); Shawn Simmons (PHC).