PHC Zebras 5 Young Men’s Social Club 1

Substitutes Jenico Sealey and Jayden Ebbin scored three late goals between them as Premier Division leaders PHC Zebras were forced to fight by Young Men’s Social Club at PHC Field on Sunday.

An entertaining match hung in the balance with Zebras desperately clinging to a 2-1 lead heading into the final few minutes before Ebbin pounced in the 85th minute and fellow substitute Sealey converted in the 87th minute and the fourth minute of stoppage time to secure the points.

Those late strikes finally put paid to Social Club’s impressive fightback after Josh Hardtman pulled one back just past the hour mark to set up an intriguing finish.

“They say 2-0 is one of the hardest scores to defend in football,” Zebras coach Quincy Hunt told The Royal Gazette.

“I think we relaxed a little bit too much and Social Club fight. That’s one thing about them, they have been fighting all season.

“The first game we played them they fought and they beat us, so this is what we expect from teams like that. They are going to keep trying and we gave them a lifeline.”

Hunt also hailed Sealey and Ebbin for their late heroics off the bench.

“That’s what a team is all about and credit to them,” he added. “I am glad Jenico got a goal because he had not scored in a few weeks, so it’s good for him going forward.”

The result enabled Zebras to maintain a slim one-point advantage over North Village at the top of the table with five games remaining.

“We are happy with the win but we still have a lot of tough games ahead of us,” Hunt said.

“We just have to keep fit, keep focused, keep grinding and just hope we get our points.”

Social Club created the first clear chance of the match when Casey Hardtman steered fellow midfielder Jaki-da Richardson’s pull back wide of the target.

PHC eventually took charge of the middle of the park and began playing through their opponents at will, with captain Daren Usher and fellow full back Deandre Smith-Lightbourne wreaking havoc with their dangerous crosses and precision passing in the attacking third of the pitch.

Striker Enrique Russell, in his first outing back from injury, tested Social Club goalkeeper Saki Tuzo, who then rushed off his line to block Jahiem Iris’s path to goal as PHC tried to capitalise on their dominance.

Social Club then conceded a free kick in a dangerous area but the wall did its job while Russell went close again after rounding Tuzo but chipped wide of an empty net from a tight angle.

Russell then had an effort saved off the line by left back Teron Butterfield, who collided with the post in the process and was subsequently taken to hospital for treatment and they suffered another setback three minutes later when Russell put Zebras ahead from the penalty spot after being brought down in the area by centre half Callan Woolridge.

The prolific striker then doubled PHC’s advantage nine minutes later after reacting first to Iris’s missed shot and firing the loose ball past Tuzo from close range and he had the ball in the net again just before the break but the goal was disallowed for a foul on the goalkeeper.

Smith-Lightbourne squandered a glorious opportunity to extend PHC’s lead at the start of the second half after failing to convert on a breakaway.

Social Club coach Michael Smith was forced to make another unscheduled change when Kimshun Smith, who came on for the injured Teron Butterfield, suffered a cut above his left eye after clashing heads and also had to be replaced.

PHC midfielder T’ysi Showers blazed a shot from outside the area just over while at the other end Social Club’s Ryan Parris and Richardson brought off two fine saves from Quinaceo Hunt as the game began to open up a bit.

PHC lost their shape just past the hour mark and paid the price when striker Josh Hardtman used his strength to hold off a defender and fire past the onrushing Hunt, who was called into action again to deny Casey Hardtman as the Social Club pressed on in search of an equaliser.

However, their late rally was stopped dead in its tracks when Ebbin gained possession inside the box and fired past Tuzo. Sealey then took over, lobbing Keishon Bean’s through pass over the onrushing Tuzo before smashing Usher’s parried effort into the roof of the net with the last kick of the match.

SCORERS

PHC Zebras: Russell 30, 39, Ebbin 85, Sealey 87, 90+4.

Young Men’s Social Club: J Hardtman 64

TEAMS

PHC Zebras (4-1-4-1): Q Hunt 7 – D Smith- Lightbourne 7, D Dowling 7 (sub: J Ebbin, 77min), N Furbert 7 D Usher 7 – D Lodge 7 – K Abraham 7, K Bean 7, J Iris 7, T Showers 7- E Russell 7 (sub: J Sealey, 76). Substitutes not used: S Trott, M Simmons, R Simmons, Y Burgess, J Belboda-Raveneau. Booked: Furbert, Dowling.

Young Men's Social Club (4-4-2): S Tuzo 6 – T Butterfield (sub: G Butterfield, 27min 5; sub: K Smith, 55 5), C Woolridge 6, K Butterfield 6, B Swan 6 – M Wilson 6, J Richardson 6, R Parris 6, C Hardtman 6 (sub: K Butterfield, 88) – J Hardtman 7, R Claken 6. Substitutes not used: S Jennings, M Williams.

Referee: M Souare (Canada).