St. David's pulled off the season's first big shock with a stirring victory over the league champions at PHC Stadium on Saturday night.

Kanhai Fray, a 20th-minute replacement for injured James Pace, was the difference on a night when the Zebras had to make do without national team players Kyle Lightbourne, Sammy Swan and most importantly goalkeeper Carlyle Crockwell.

Fray, on PHC's books last season, threatened throughout the second half with his pace and sank the home side with two goals that gave the Islanders their first win in the big leagues.

Del Hollis gave a signal of what was to come as early as the ninth minute but PHC equalised soon after through Kenny Mills and looked like settling themselves until Fray popped up to haunt them. Mills scored his second from the penalty spot right at the end.

"We are very, very delighted with the victory,'' said manager David Scraders.

"It was great for the team, but we still know that we can play better. This was just a start.'' St. David's fully merited this victory over a PHC side that constantly gave the ball away and were surprisingly lacking in ideas.

On the other hand, the visitors have in Del Hollis and Jerry Laws, players who could make a big impact in the First Division with a raw but capable group in support.

It will be a long seven weeks for the Zebras as they await the return of their Bermuda players, especially with injured Ty Williams expected to be out for at least another month -- as Chris Belboda proved merely adequate.

Belboda's hesitation should have gifted St. David's a goal in the second minute after a pressured Mike Dill back-passed. Pace was quick to assess the situation and struck his left-foot effort amazingly high and wide with the 'keeper lost at sea.

The resultant clash led to Pace eventually being replaced by man-of-the-hour Fray.

Shabby PHC defending again led to the opening goal as Maxwell Dill was allowed to work a short corner for the third time against one defender. This time he pulled the ball out to Hollis who struck a 15-yard shot through a crowded area that beat an unsighted Belboda at the far post.

PHC responded well to the early setback with midfielders Frankie Ming, Derek Douglas and Otis Steede beginning to assert themselves while the forward trio of Sheridan Ming, Kevin Dill and Kenny Mills caused headaches with their speed.

There were not many chances but the Zebras ran at will through a porous St.

David's midfield until Mills and Sheridan Ming combined for the equaliser.

The goal, in the 19th minute, exposed St. David's down the middle as Mills fed a quick pass into Ming and then side-footed home from 15 yards after receiving a deft back-heel that took centre-half Calvin Richardson out of the play.

The few chances that came the rest of the half fell to PHC as Sheridan Ming had a drive charged down by Richardson and Dill just failed to get on the end of a Mills pass after right-back Eugene Smith was dispossessed.

Fray did not look like much when he came on and it was no wonder he struggled to make PHC's Alliance Division side last season. But after the interval he ran the left side of the defence ragged and even had the audacity to take on Mike Dill, arguably the quickest defender on the Island.

That encounter set the pattern for his second half as Fray forced Dill to concede a corner. Midfielder Sean Smith had a much better second half and he forced Belboda to get down to hold a 25-yarder in the 50th minute.

Fray struck his first in the 58th minute and he did it all on his own after a Maxwell Dill pass put him into space.

The little man ran past Mark Wade and then took on young centre-half Dano Outerbridge. His cross was only parried by Belboda and a ball-watching PHC defence allowed him to recover and force home the rebound.

This goal knocked PHC for a loop as they hardly threatened George O'Brien's goal. Frank Ming shot wide off balance and Sheridan Ming had another shot stopped by Richardson before the victory was sealed.

Eugene Smith, who did a few nice things overlapping on the right for St.

David's, provided the cross in the 80th minute and after Outerbridge misjudged his header, that man Fray was on hand to half-volley home from 10 yards with Belboda terribly out of position.

Maxwell Dill had a drive go wide and Sean Smith forced another save from Belboda of a long-range effort before PHC's consolation effort came in the dying stages after O'Brien fouled Mills.

Mills converted the spot-kick himself and referee Roddy Burchall immediately after signalled the end to send St. David's and their followers into a frenzy.

PHC: C.Belboda; M.Wade, R.Lewis, M.Dill, D.Outerbridge (S.Simons, 81 mins); D.Douglas, O.Steede, F.Ming; S.Ming, K.Dill (M.Trott, 72 mins), K.Mills.

St. David's: G.O'Brien; S.Pitcher, E.Smith, C.Richardson, D.Fox; M.Dill, S.Hollis, S.Smith, D.Hollis; J.Laws, J.Pace (K.Fray, 20 mins).

Referee: Roddy Burchall.

Men of the match: Kenny Mills (PHC); Kanhai Fray (St. David's).