Flanagan’s Onions 1 PHC Zebras 5

PHC Zebras brushed aside Flanagan’s Onions to advance to the semi-finals of the Friendship Trophy at Goose Gosling Field on Saturday night.

The Premier Division leaders set the tone with two early goals from Tristan Hall and Keishon Bean with Marco Warren adding another before Keston Lewis pulled a goal back for Onions from the penalty spot.

PHC continued to dominate after the break with Chejon Berkeley, the Onions goalkeeper, reeling off several saves although there was little he could do to prevent Warren’s second on the hour mark.

Onions were reduced to ten men moments later when substitute Jonny Knight was harshly sent off for a sliding tackle on the edge of the home side’s box.

Mark Ward, the Onions player-coach, was then forced off with a head injury forcing Onions to finish the match with nine players having already made three substitutes.

PHC completed the rout in the 88th minute when substitute Javaaid Warren followed up after Bean’s shot had struck the post.

Despite his team’s emphatic victory, Scott Morton, the PHC coach, believed there was plenty of room for improvement.

“Even though we scored two early goals, which I definitely appreciated, I felt we needed a more complete performance,” Morton said.

“I don’t mean that as in goal-scoring opportunities but as in understanding what to do when we don’t have the ball and making things more difficult for the opposition. Those were the things I was not happy with.”

Morton always felt his side could have been far more ruthless in front of goal.

“We also need to start to convert more chances as we had plenty of breakaways that we didn’t captilise on,” he added.

“It’s pleasing that we created so many chances and the boys just need to start showing more composure.”

In the evening’s earlier game, BAA defeated Wolves 5-1 in their Shield quarter-final.

SCORERS

Flanagan’s Onions

Lewis 30

PHC Zebras

Hall 5, Bean 9, Warren 25, 60, Warren-Smith 88

TEAMS

Flanagan’s Onions (4-5-1): C Berkeley — Markez Laws, J Scott, M Aden, P Smith (sub: R Calvert, 35min) — M Ward, C Burns, B Turner (sub: J Knight, 60), T Smith (sub: D Thompson, 75), S Swan — K Lewis. Substitutes not used: Martel Laws, M Lyndsey-Bailey. Booked: Swan. Sent off: Knight.

PHC Zebras (4-5-1): S Dill — D Usher (sub: S Idrees, 78), N Griffith, M Lambe, M Waldron (sub: D Davis, 78) — T Ming, K Bean (sub: J Warren-Smith, 78), M Warren, C Robinson, K Abraham — T Hall. Substitutes not used: S Trott, D Joell, D Smith-Lightbourne.

Referee: A Francis.