St George’s Colts 2 PHC Zebras 3

Enrique Russell’s crucial goal three minutes from time catapulted PHC to North Village’s closest rivals for the Premier Division title at Wellington Oval on Sunday.

Russell hit the winner for the champions as PHC came from behind with just six minutes left to move second in the league on 27 points, four behind North Village with three matches remaining.

St George’s, who finished with ten players after Oyinde Bascome was sent off for a second bookable offence in the 61st minute, led for the better part of the encounter through two first-half goals from Senoj Mitchell.

PHC twice equalised, through Haile Eve in the tenth minute and T’syi Showers in the 84th minute, before Russell notched and the match winner was delighted to make the difference.

“It’s such a great feeling to come from behind and get the three points,” the Bermuda forward told The Royal Gazette.

“We made it difficult for ourselves but at least we got the win in the end, that’s all that matters. We’re looking to defend our trophy and we’re not going to make it easy for anyone to take it.

“If we can get help from other teams there’s a big possibility that we can win the title again, and that’s the goal.”

Mitchell, who has scored five goals for St George’s this season, felt his side were always struggling to hold on after the dismissal of Bascome.

“A few mistakes in the game cost us,” the 24-year-old said. “When we went a man down, we were just fighting to stay in it.

“We still created chances but with a man down, it was just hard. While it’s disappointing to lose, the team is in good spirits and we’re going to keep fighting for the rest of the season and see where we finish.

“I’m happy to have scored two goals, I’ve put on a little form late into the season and I hope to keep on scoring.”

Going into the match looking for a league double over PHC after a 2-0 victory in Stadium Lane last November, Drewonde Bascome’s side took the lead in the third minute.

Brilliant movement involving the Hall brothers, Blaiz and Kashe, resulted in the ball being shipped out wide to Mitchell, who despite not getting it on his powerful left foot, squeezed the ball in with his right at Quinaceo Hunt’s far post.

PHC were level in the tenth minute when Showers delivered a corner kick and Jaylon Bather’s header bounced off the crossbar allowing Eve to thump in it from close range.

Quincy Hunt, the PHC coach, was forced into an early substitution when the injured Jayden Belboda-Raveneau was replaced by Jenico Sealey in the fourteenth minute.

Swift movement on the counter turned defence into attack for Mitchell to complete his brace in the 33rd minute and Blaiz Hall could have put St George’s further ahead ten minutes before half-time, but having done all the hard work the Bermuda forward sent his effort wide.

PHC made another first-half change in the 38th minute with De-Aun Lodge making way for DeAndre Smith-Lightbourne and four minutes before the break Jahquil Hill did brilliantly to keep out a well-taken strike from Showers.

Into the second half and St George’s suffered a huge setback as Bascome took out Russell to receive his second yellow card.

Hill repelled Russell three times in a short space of time to preserve the St George’s lead, but the Bermuda goalkeeper was eventually beaten by Showers six minutes before the eend

Russell sealed the PHC comeback when he received a pass from substitute Na'eem Griffiths, charged at goal and buried the ball into the top corner for his fifth league goal of the season.

SCORERS

St George’s Colts: Mitchell 3, 33

PHC Zebras: Eve 10, Showers 84, Russell 87

TEAMS

St George’s Colts (4-2-3-1): J Hill 6 – G Wade 6 (sub: T Tucker, 90min), O Bascome 5, J Scroder 6, J Richardson 6 – I Gibbons 6, Z McGuire 6 – K Hall 6, J Dickinson 6, S Mitchell 7 (sub: M Tucker, 87) – B Hall 7. Substitutes not used: D Bascome. Booked: O Bascome. Sent off: O Bascome.

PHC Zebras (4-2-3-1): Q Hunt 6 – K Abraham 6, T Showers 7, D Lodge (sub: D Smith-Lightbourne, 38 6), J Bather (sub: N Griffith, 72) – J Belboda-Raveneau 5 (sub: Sealey, 14 6), D Usher 6 – J Ebbin 6, H Eve 7 (sub: A Wade, 72), E Russell – D Wainwright 6. Substitutes not used: Y Burgess, M Wilson, R Simmons. Booked: Bather, Eve

Referee: T Derry (Trinidad & Tobago).