PHC 3 Devonshire Cougars 2

A fiercely fought contest saw Devonshire Cougars take a two-goal lead at the interval, but they could only watch in dismay as the PHC Zebras came charging back in the second half to edge the Cougars.

It was the Cougars who drew first blood in the eighteenth minute when Erin Tankard-Butterfield stripped the ball off the defender just outside the penalty area and fed a deft pass to Drewonde Bascome who turned sharply and rifled his shot past stranded Zebras goalkeeper Shaquille Trott.

The Cougars added further insult to injury in the 20th minute when a corner kick found Jahzadae Samuels perched, unchecked, inside the six yard box to calmly nod home. The Zebras were able to string together their own set plays, but time and time again were unable to capitalise on their offensive raids.

With the Cougars firmly looking in control of the first half they threatened to score more, but the Zebras defence stiffened to keep themselves in contention going into the second half of play.

PHC began the second half with a greater sense of urgency. They were rewarded with their first goal in the 59th minute after Marco Warren tracked a long ball into the penalty area and bundled his header past Cougars goalkeeper Reid Trott and took a kick to the face in the process.

The Zebras second goal came courtesy of a weak Cougars goalmouth clearance that fell to the feet of the Zebras’ Diondre Dowling, whose first-time volley from 25 yards eluded a maze of bodies to knot the score in 62nd minute at two goals apiece.

The visiting side sustained relentless pressure and managed, momentarily, to withstand the Zebras’ impending onslaught. With the Zebras coming close on a few occasions, the Cougars began again finding their stride.

However, it would be the Zebras who managed to find that elusive third goal in the 80th minute after Warren fed a slick pass to Cecoy Robinson inside the penalty area, which saw Robinson get just enough of the ball to toe-poke past goalkeeper Kioshi Trott, who had come on three minutes earlier replacing the injured Trott.

The Cougars’ Samuels came close to scoring his second after his screamer sailed just inches over the crossbar from inside the penalty area.

With five minute remaining and the Zebras holding tenaciously to their one-goal advantage, the Cougars continued clawing away at the Zebras’ lead in search of the equaliser.

However, it would prove to be too little too late as the Zebras repelled the Cougars’ efforts to eventually gallop away with the win.

SCORERS

PHC: Warren 57, Dowling 62, Robinson 80

Devonshire Cougars Bascome 18, Samuels 20

TEAMS

PHC Zebras (4-3-3): Shaquille Trott — Shaki Trott, D Dowling, M Lambe, Z Lee — D Lodge, (sub: N Griffiths, 59min) — T Ming, M Warren, J Sealey (sub: K Hypolite, 78) — C Robinson, J Warren-Smith (sub: D Usher, 66). Substitutes not used: T Place.

Devonshire Cougars (4-3-3): R Trott (sub: K Trott, 76min) — Zekiro White, L Tota, A Samuels, Zeko White — Z Simmons, C Caisey, J Samuels (sub: J Wade, 83), E Butterfield-Tankard — T Tucker, D Bascome. Substitutes not used: N Carmichael, R Simmons, N Simmons, S Swan.

Referee: M Wyer.