Zebras too strong for Village
PHC 3 North Village 1Zebras overpowered Rams at Bernard Park yesterday to gallop to the top of the Premier Division.Cecoy Robinson led Zebras’ charge with a well-taken brace while teenaged winger Jason Simons was also on target for the visitors.Pierre Smith replied for Rams who slumped to their third league loss of the season.Zebras currently top the Premier standings by goal difference over Devonshire Cougars and Flanagan’s Onions who also have ten points to their credit.Despite the loss Rams remain seventh in the league.Zebras surged ahead after live wire Robinson buried a corner kick from close range that fell nicely for the winger to give his team a 1-0 lead at the half.Whatever words Rams coach Shaun Goater had in store for his players at the break paid immediate dividends when play resumed as Smith fired home his own rebound after latching onto Keishen Bean’s defence splitting pass.However, all of Rams’ hard work came undone at the seam just minutes later when Simons capitalised on a defensive error.Robinson then killed the game off with his second goal of the match, converting from a breakaway after the Rams’ defence was again ruthlessly exposed.Southampton Rangers 4 Robin Hood 1Rangers came from behind to add to Robin Hood’s early season woes at Southampton Oval yesterday.Mikre Place gave the visitors a deserved lead as Hood cashed in on their early dominance.However, Rangers hit back to take a 3-1 cushion into the break thanks to goals from Vernon Perinchief, Jahnai Bean and an Darren Reitze own goal.The home side then piled more misery on Hood after the break when Dennis Russell fired home his team’s fourth and final goal.Both teams were guilty of squandering opportunities in front of the uprights, with Hood failing to convert three breakaways after getting behind the Rangers defence.Hood started the brighter of the two sides and went ahead on a set piece with a clinically taken goal from midfielder Place.But Rangers were back on even terms when Perinchief converted a free kick from outside the box.The home side then went ahead for good when Bean was on hand to tap in a Janeiro Tucker header that came back off the woodwork.Rangers extended their lead after Hood ‘keeper Timmy Figureido miskicked a back pass from skipper Reitze and watched in horror as the balled rolled across the goal line.Both teams continued to create chances after the break before Russell rounded Figureido and slid the ball into the empty net during a Rangers counter attack that caught Hood off guard.The result enabled Rangers to climb three places in the Premier standings from sixth to third while Hood remain anchored at the bottom of the pile.