PHC Zebras 6 Flanagan’s Onions 0

The difference between the top and bottom of the Premier Division was evident yesterday, as PHC Zebras hit Flanagan’s Onions for six.

Tristan Hall helped himself to a hat-trick in his last game before returning overseas for school this week. Keishon Bean scored a penalty, while Tre Ming and Cecoy Robinson both hopped off the bench to add one apiece.

Scott Morton, the PHC coach, was delighted with the contribution of Hall.

“We’ve been working on how we start matches with focus on building momentum and I thought the team did really well today in that regard,” he said. “Tristan has been a great addition to the team. He gave a good shift when called upon in the [Friendship Trophy] final on New Year’s Day, and today his performance was spot-on.”

The home team controlled the match from the start, enjoying long spells of possession, and could have been up within ten minutes. Casey Castle beat the offside trap with a smart run but pulled his shot wide of the far post with only Onions Che to beat.

Onions goalkeeper Chejuan Berkeley then made a succession of saves to keep his team in the match.

He got down low to keep out a Marco Warren free kick, blocked another attempt from Castle who broke the line once again, and was then on hand to push Keishon Bean’s strike from the edge of the box over the bar.

The breakthrough came in 25th minute when Hall picked up a ball 25 yards out and drove a shot that swerved en route to goal, giving the goalkeeper no chance.

Onions started the second half positively and looked to be working themselves into the game, but were undone by a 60th-minute penalty by Bean after Castle was brought down inside the box.

Eight minutes later, Hall was on hand to tap in his second from close range from a Bean cross. Ming, who was brought on after an hour, then got in on the act to score in the 72nd with a neat finish after a combination with Marquel Waldron on the edge of the box.

Hall completed his hat-trick with five minutes remaining when he latched onto a Robinson through ball, placing his shot under the advancing goalkeeper. Robinson capped off his team’s dominant display, beating the goalkeeper to a ball and finishing into an empty net.

SCORERS

PHC Zebras

Hall 25, 68, 85, Bean 60, Ming 72, Robinson 90

TEAMS

PHC Zebras (4-4-2): S Trott — D Usher, N Griffith (sub: M Lambe, 69min), R DeShields, D Lightbourne — J Hassell, M Waldron, C Castle (sub: T Ming, 60), M Warren — K Bean (sub: C Robinson), T Hall. Substitutes not used: Q Hunt, D Davis, J Warren-Smith. Booked: DeShields.

Flanagan’s Onions (4-4-2): C Berkeley — M Lawes, T Smith, S Swan, N Anglin — J Higson, M Field, N Dunkle (sub: A Brown, 70), L Matthews — K Knights (sub: M Lawes, 84), M Bacon (sub: C Burns, 65). Booked: Berkeley.

Referee: G Swainson.