North Village 0 PHC Zebras 4

PHC Zebras showed why they are the league leaders with a 4-0 win over North Village at Bernard Park yesterday.

Marco Warren, the midfielder, scored in each half to lead the Zebras to a comfortable victory.

Warren let his intentions be known early on when he curled in a free kick that beat Tahj Bell, the Village goalkeeper, but hit an upright.

Minutes later, PHC goalkeeper Quinaceo Hunt almost gifted Village a goal when he allowed forward Lashun Dill to block his attempted clearance from a back-pass, but the ball was cleared to safety.

PHC forward Kenneth Matthie created the opener when he dribbled into the area and was fouled recklessly by Trey Durham, the Village midfielder. Bell did well to get a hand to Warren’s penalty but could not keep it out.

PHC started to dominate the game with their skilful passing, good ball movement and blistering speed. Village could only respond with desperate clearances and were lucky to go into the break only one down.

After the break Jonathan Briers, the Village midfielder, fed Shayne Hollis who had only the goalkeeper to beat but overran the ball.

The recalled Cecoy Robinson, who came on as a 49th-minute substitute for the Zebras, then teamed up with Warren with a neat backheel that the midfielder shot wide.

In the 75th minute, Na’eem Griffith rose high above the Village defence to head home his team’s second goal.

It was followed shortly by an own goal from Village defender Jason Davis, who tried to redirect a diagonal cross from PHC midfielder Tre Ming with a sliding clearance. Instead, the ball landed in the back of his net, leaving Bell stranded.

The most eye-catching goal of the game came in the 87th minute from an inch-perfect chip by Robinson, who picked out Warren unmarked just inside the corner of the 18-yard box. Warren executed a leaning side-volley that rifled off his right foot and into the back of the net, beating the outstretched arms of the diving Bell.

“We had a professional performance today,” Scott Morton, the PHC coach, said. “Our video preparation paid off. We executed our game plan and also didn’t concede any goals.

Morton also said that while Robinson was a key member of his squad, Marquel Waldron would remain captain for the time being. Robinson missed last weekend’s match after an on-field argument with Morton in the opening game of the season.

TEAMS

North Village: T Bell, A Johnson, J Davis, T Fray, J Thomas, S Hollis, D Daniels, T Durham (sub: T Watson, 16min), J Briers (sub: T Wilson, 67), L. Dill (sub: P Smith, 67), K Bean. Subs not used: M Thomas, K Knights, C Caisey.

PHC: Q Hunt, D Usher, R DeShields, N Griffith, K Abraham, T Ming, M Waldron, K Matthie (sub: K Bean, 65), M Warren, C Castle, J Iris (sub: C Robinson 47). Subs not used: S Trott, D Lightbourne, M Lambe.

Referee: G Swainson