PHC 2 Ireland Rangers 1

League leaders PHC Zebras moved tantalisingly closer to clinching a record ninth Premier Division championship with this narrow victory that also sent Ireland Rangers crashing into the First Division at Southampton Oval yesterday.

Zebras netted either side of the half through tallies from Dennis Russell and Kevin Richards and need only take a single point from their remaining league fixtures against nearest rivals North Village and a Devonshire Cougars side that bowed out of the championship race last Friday night when they were held to a scoreless draw against Boulevard at the Den.

Rams are the only team now with a mathematical chance of reeling in Zebras.

Yusaff Pitt grabbed Rangers' late consolation.

Rangers took the plunge courtesy of their eighth league loss of the season coupled by Dandy Town's 2-1 win over Devonshire Colts at Police Field yesterday.

And they might have felt hard done by after matching a lethargic PHC outfit for long spells only to come up empty handed when all was said and done.

"We didn't quite play the way we wanted. I thought we made hard work of the game," Zebras coach Kyle Lightbourne said afterwards. "Ireland Rangers gave us a good game . . . they worked hard for one another.

"I told my guys it wasn't going to be an easy game and we never got into a real stride. I thought we controlled the game without really playing well and in the end did just enough to win.

"We certainly created enough chances to score but didn't have on our shooting boots today. I thought we looked capable of scoring a couple more once we went up 2-0 but it never materialised.

"But we will take the victory and we just need one more point and the league title is ours."

Last week Lightbourne requested to have all Zebras players involved at the national level "excused" from practising with the senior national team for fear of them burning themselves out at this crucial stage of the season.

And from the kick-off Lightbourne's plea was maybe justified as a ragged Zebras looked anything but champions-elect against a team doomed to 12.30 football next season.

But what PHC lacked in flair they more than compensated for in hussle and with sharper finishing could have easily had the match all sewn up at the half had it not been for the goal-shy Keston Lewis whose last touch in front of goal left much to be desired.

Rather than try and force the issue, Rangers seemed intent to defend and this approach eventually led to the visitors falling in arrears in the 13rd minute. A good two-man move down the left flank involving the resourceful Blenn Bean and Lewis culminated in the opportunistic Russell following up on a partial clearance and stabbing the ball across the line through a thicket of legs.

Zebras suffered a setback shortly after when forward Kevin Lambe limped off with a pulled thigh muscle and then squandered a golden opportunity to stretch their lead when Trinidadian Lewis chipped wide of the post on the stroke of half-time.

PHC coach Lightbourne did his best to motivate his troops at the break but to little effect as the match continued in the same vein when play resumed with Lewis and Russell both going close.

At this point it seemed it would take something spectacular for Zebras to finally double their lead and Kevin Richards' powerful header from Chris Furbert's diagonal free kick was nothing less as it sped past the diving Ricky Tucker on its way to the back of the net.

Rangers coach Duane DeRosa inserted Jonathan Bean into the mix midway through the second half and reaped reward for the move as the latter threaded an inviting pass to the onrushing Pitt who buried his effort with the outside of his right boot past Jay Smith in the PHC goal.

But in the end Pitt's clinically taken goal proved a little too late as Zebras held on for the win that keeps them six points clear of a Village team they face against in their next league encounter on March 16 at Bernard Park with the title there for the taking.

PHC: J.Smith, J.Almeida, O.Shakir, K.Richards, C.Dowling, B.Bean, C.Furbert, K.Lewis (A.Grant, 71 mins), J.Ball, D.Russell, K.Lambe (C.Robinson, 23 mins)

Ireland Rangers: R.Tucker, J.Rogers, J.Martin, S.Brangman, J.Saltus, R.Gomes (W.Anderson, 59 mins), C.Grant, L.Weeks, A.Outerbridge, Y.Pitt, N.Darrell (J.Bean, 59 mins).

Yellow cards: C.Dowling, B.Bean (PHC); S.Brangman (Rangers).

Men of the match: K.Richards (PHC); S.Brangman (Rangers).

Referee: Lyndon Raynor.