Rejuvenated PHC out to keep up perfect start
PHC have firmly put their 7-0 loss to Dandy Town in the Dudley Eve Trophy behind them, with three straight wins reigniting their season as they continue their quest for a third straight league title.
The Zebras looked like their old selves against X-Roads in the Dudley Eve Trophy on Wednesday night with five second-half goals, as captain Cecoy Robinson’s hat-trick helped secure a 6-1 win and a place in the semi-finals.
PHC now switch their focus back to the league and maintaining their perfect record.
“We’ve got six points out of the league so far so we just have to keep pushing one game at a time and go from there,” said Robinson whose team meet X-Roads again on Sunday when they travel to Garrison Field looking to carry on where they left off two days ago.
PHC and Devonshire Cougars are the only teams with maximum points from two games, with Robin Hood and North Village awaiting a new date for their September 21 match that was postponed.
Cougars have a chance to move into sole possession of first place, albeit for a day, with victory from their match with neighbours North Village at Devonshire Rec tomorrow.
Cougars edged Southampton Rangers 3-2 last weekend while Village began their season with a 2-2 home draw against Dandy Town.
The visitors, who twice came from behind, went close to snatching a late winner when Kwame Steede’s shot from inside the box smashed against the crossbar in the 87th minute.
Promoted sides Southampton Rangers and Somerset Eagles both have a win already under their belt, with Eagles picking up a win and a draw ahead of their visit to Somerset Cricket Club for their derby match against Somerset Trojans on Sunday.
Trojans will be aiming to bounce back from an 8-1 hammering at the hands of Robin Hood last weekend.
Hood have been unstoppable so far, not just winning but winning by huge margins after their 5-0 win over Boulevard in the Dudley Eve Trophy in midweek despite fielding a weakened side.
They rested seven starters players, with Antwan Russell playing in goal.
Hood coach John Barry Nusum admitted in his post-match interview that “there are some things we can get better at”, a stark warning to Dandy Town, with the two teams meeting at St John’s Field.
Town are trying to put some wins together after a loss and a draw in their first two league matches and will look to captain Angelo Simmons to lead the goal charge against his former team.
Like Hood, they were unstoppable in the Dudley Eve Trophy, winning their group after scoring 13 goals in their two matches while Hood netted twelve in their two wins.
There are some early signs that Boulevard could be a team facing a relegation fight after four straight league and cup losses in which they are yet to score a goal.
They also struggled with numbers on Wednesday night when their match with Hood started almost 15 minutes late as they tried to get eleven players on the field.
In the end, they had just one substitute on the bench and had defender Nazeem Augustus sent off late in the game for a second yellow card.
On Sunday, they host Southampton Rangers at Goose Gosling Field hoping for a good result against last season’s First Division champions to help turn the tide.
In the First Division, Flanagan’s Onions host Devonshire Colts at Goose Gosling Field tomorrow night at 9pm.
Sunday’s remaining three matches see Young Men’s Social Club playing Vasco at Bernard Park, Hamilton Parish take on Wolves at Wellington Oval and Ireland Rangers playing their first match of the season when they host St George’s at Malabar Field.