NINE years ago PHC Zebras made history by becoming the first team to win promotion and the Premier Division title in successive seasons.

Now they could set history again this season by becoming the first team to win the league and be relegated the next season.

The reality is beginning to hit home for the Zebras after their fifth loss of the season last weekend to Southampton Rangers enabled the latter to move level on points with Kyle Lightbourne's team near the foot of the table. It has set the stage for an exciting relegation fight involving three, possibly four, teams as just two points separate second-from-bottom Rangers from North Village in fourth spot.

"We spoke about it last Thursday in training, that we find ourselves in the situation that we could still be in the title race or we can be fighting for relegation if we lose this match (against Rangers)," coach Lightbourne said this week.

As it was PHC did lose, going down to a Rangers team that has battled back from the dead after a slow start to the campaign when they looked relegation certainties.

"Everybody is aware of what position we are in, we haven't been winning league games so we just have to dig in and fight for one another and work hard," said Lightbourne who concedes it is unlikely, though still mathematically possible to retain their league title. They trail leaders Dandy Town by nine points with five games remaining which means teams like Town and Devonshire Cougars will have to lose at least three of their last five matches. PHC will need to win all their remaining matches.

"After the defeat on Sunday mathematically it is still not impossible but realistically I think it is," said Lightbourne. "The team at the top would have to lose three games for us to catch them and there is only five games left. Realistically that is out of the equation for us.

"Our season has been really about bad mistakes – mistake after mistake after mistake. We had issues with goalkeepers letting in soft goals, now as a team we are letting in soft goals and not scoring so that is a recipe for disaster. However in our overall play I think we control games. When I look at the league games we have been in control, having the majority of possession without really working the goalkeeper. There was probably only one exception, against Devonshire Cougars.

"I look back to Hamilton Parish, Dandy Town in the early part of the season, two games that spring to mind when we definitely should have won."

Lightbourne doesn't think complacency has set in after last season's league and cup success. "We still train hard and work hard and still put in the effort that's required, but for some reason we are not scoring the goals," said the coach.

"Last season in the league we conceded 11 goals altogether and this season we have conceded 11 goals thus far and we've only scored 11 goals. That's not good enough for us to be contending with the top teams.

"I feel we have the players to climb up the table so it's up to us to go ahead and do that. There are 15 points left to play for and we can get 15 points out of 15. It wouldn't surprise me if we do but we are not going to get it on our present form."

PHC have the opportunity to avenge that disappointing loss to Town in October when they travel to St. John's Field on Sunday to play the league leaders. Victory could take them into a mid-table position, so close are the teams from fourth to seventh.

"We are two points adrift (of Parish and Village) and with three points for a win if we win our next game and one of them lose it will not be just two teams but four teams in it," said Lightbourne.

"We still have to play North Village and Hamilton Parish so there is plenty to play for, I think my guys have the stomach for it.

"When I look back the only game that we didn't deserve anything out of was the game against Devonshire Cougars. Against Dandy Town, with five minutes to go, we were leading 1-0 and they scored two late goals. That was the turning point in our season.

"Hamilton Parish scored a penalty against us and Nigel (Parish 'keeper Nigel Burgess) had an outstanding day that day. In the first game of the season against Boulevard they scored early on and we were camped in their half, we just didn't have the ability to break them down. In the second game against Boulevard they had the better of the first half and we went up 1-0 early, but in the second half it was one way traffic for us and it finished in a draw."

PHC can still salvage something from a disappointing season so far as they are still in the FA and Friendship competitions. They meet Boulevard in the semi-final of the Friendship next Wednesday night at BAA Field and 11 days later meet Devonshire Colts in the quarter finals of the FA Cup which they presently hold. They lost to Village in the Friendship final last season.

"Definitely it is our best chance of silverware," Lightbourne concedes.

The title race looks to be decided between three teams – Town, Cougars and Boulevard – with three points separating first from third. Rejuvenated Rangers have the opportunity to climb out of the bottom two when they entertain Boulevard while Devonshire Cougars host Hamilton Parish at the Den and Village welcome bottom team Devonshire Colts to Bernard Park.

Talk is continuing next week between the BFA and the affiliates about returning the Premier Division to 10 teams for the first time in 10 years. When the division was reduced to eight teams for the 1999-2000 season three teams were relegated from the top division with only one, Devonshire Cougars, gaining promotion from the First Division.

Gregory Grimes, BFA Competitions Committee chairman, insists no decisions have been made so far.

"There is nothing to discuss because nothing has been presented to the affiliates yet," said Grimes this week. "It will be discussed on Monday night."

Lightbourne welcomes a return to 10 teams, not because it could mean a reprieve for the second-from-bottom team in the top division, but because he feels football will improve with the switch.

"People may think because PHC are in this situation that I would say 'oh yeah, that's a good thing', but I spoke about it before," said Lightbourne.

"It is definitely a good thing for the league because with 10 teams you are going to get a bigger pool of players playing at a higher level. Teams like Somerset Eagles, St. George's, St. David's and Somerset are around the top of the league and any one of them could hold their own in the Premier Division. Devonshire Colts are having a difficult season this year but I am more than sure they will bounce back."

The fight for promotion continues with leaders Somerset Eagles and second-place St. David's meeting in a top-of-the-table clash at White Hill (3.00). St. David's were comfortable winners there recently in the Shield against Ireland Rangers, but Kenny Thompson's side will be a difficult proposition particularly now that they have the inside track in the promotion race. St. George's, third, host Prospect at Wellington Oval and Somerset Trojans play at home against BAA (3.00) in the other key matches.

Ireland Rangers play Paget at Malabar and X-road host Wolves at Garrison Field.