Hamilton Parish 1 PHC 2

D’Andre Wainwright scored a stoppage-time winner to ensure ten-man PHC Zebras remain in contention to retain their Premier Division title.

In treacherous conditions at Wellington Oval, Wainwright scored twice, including the winner after team-mate Haile Eve had been sent off to break the hearts of Hamilton Parish.

PHC, who were coached by Roderick Lewis as Quincy Hunt was suspended after being sent off last week, started sharper against relegation-threatened Parish, keeping the ball confidently under pressure and utilising the regular outlet of wide players Nathan Furbert and Kadeem Abraham. Harlem Bean-Fox, who usually plays wide on the right, showcased his versatility to drop into a supporting striker role behind main forward Wainwright.

The away side opened the scoring in the seventeenth minute when Bean-Fox placed his free-kick perfectly into the path of Wainwright. The striker was unmarked at the back post to slide the ball low past Parish goalkeeper Nigel Burgess.

PHC should have extended their lead with a few more notable ventures into the final third but Parish maintained a solid defensive shape to keep a foothold in the game and go in just one down at half-time.

Parish knew that victory could kickstart their survival push in the second half of the season and they came out after the break with more aggression and stepped up their efforts to win most of the physical challenges, although PHC stayed in control of possession.

Parish also changed their approach with the ball, going more direct to forward Christopher Binnie, who replaced winger Kion Knights midway through the second half.

Tre Burgess could have equalised within minutes of that tactical switch after winger Leroy Lewis clipped a good cross towards the back post, but Burgess failed to direct his header on target.

Justin Bell, who played previously for North Village, also got involved in the Parish attack, having a powerful strike deflected by PHC defender Jaylon Bather into the grateful arms of PHC goalkeeper Quinaceo Hunt.

PHC noticed Parish’s switch and added more bite in midfield with Jayden Ebbin replacing the diminutive T’syi Showers a few minutes after Binnie came on, but they struggled to maintain possession for more than five passes amid the compact shape of the Parish defence.

Parish slowly gained territory on their opponents and equalised ten minutes from time. Justin Bell floated in a free-kick from the left and Burgess angled his run perfectly to evade a few PHC defenders and drive his shot low past Hunt.

PHC then went down to ten men in the 83rd minute when substitute Haile Eve, who had been on the field for just six minutes, was sent off by referee Wendy Woodley for using foul and abusive language.

Both sides went in search of the winner but it was PHC who found it. Bean-Fox floated in a quality set-piece from the right side of the Parish penalty area and Wainwright got the final touch in a goalmouth scramble to prod the ball past Burgess with virtually the last kick of the game.

SCORERS

Hamilton Parish: T Burgess 80

PHC: Wainwright 17, 90+3;

TEAMS

Hamilton Parish (4-3-3): N Burgess 6 – J Outerbridge 5, Y Ibaraguen Ramirez 6, Q Outerbridge 6, T Burgess 6 – Z Burgess 5, A Nelson 6, G Burgess 5 – L Lewis 6, J Bell 5, K Knights 5 (sub: C Binnie, 64min 5). Substitutes not used: K Trott, S McKittrick. Booked: J Outerbridge

PHC Zebras (4-2-3-1): Q Hunt 6 – D Smith-Lightbourne 6, J Bather 6, A Astwood 5 (sub: H Eve, 77), D Usher 6 – D Smith-Davis 5, T Showers 5 (sub: J Ebbin, 66 5) – K Abraham 6, H Bean-Fox 7, N Furbert 6 – D Wainwright 7. Substitutes not used: J Hassell, A Wade, J Symons, Y Burgess, K Bean. Sent off: Eve

Referee: W Woodley