Dandy Town’s upset over PHC Zebras has changed things at the top and bottom of the Premier Division.

The result at Goose Gosling Field on Wednesday meant the Zebras failed to regain first place, while Somerset Trojans, the bottom team, are now eight points adrift from safety.

Town climbed from ninth to fourth on goal difference with a 2-0 win to hand PHC their first defeat in the league.

The victory was much needed for Town, whose winless streak included a 6-0 thrashing away to league leaders X-Roads in their previous outing.

“I wouldn’t say we needed that [loss] to do better, but certainly that grabbed everybody’s attention,” Devarr Boyles, the Town coach, said of that defeat.

“I don’t think we were doing the right things, but habits are starting to change. It’s all about discipline, consistency and commitment and we weren’t doing those three things well.”

Town played with renewed determination against PHC and were rewarded with second-half goals by K’wonde Lathan and Kwame Steede late in the game.

“The first goal was going to be crucial for both teams,” said Boyles, who replaced Steede as coach this season.

As the league campaign enters its halfway stage this weekend, eight points separate the top three teams, X-Roads, PHC and Robin Hood.

The Trojans are the only team in the top division without a win, after losing seven of their eight games. Their next four games against Town, X-Roads, Hood and Devonshire Cougars, which are all at home, will be critical for the West Enders.

Last season, X-Roads managed to avoid the drop after collecting 20 points, eight more than Flanagan’s Onions, who finished second from bottom.

Boulevard, second from bottom now, meet North Village at Lord’s on Sunday in a battle of the eighth and ninth-place teams.

Paget Lions and PHC meet for the second straight match, with Paget looking to bounce back from their Friendship Trophy preliminary round loss against PHC last weekend. Paget’s ranks were depleted with injury and unavailability, forcing them to call on Jensen Rogers, the Somerset Eagles coach, to play in the cup-tie as he is still registered as a Lions player.

Despite their setback against Town, PHC still have an edge over their rivals in the battle for first place, as X-Roads and Hood will meet at Garrison Field, where Donovan Thompson is one goal away from scoring against every Premier Division opposition this season, having netted in eight straight league matches so far.