PHC and Wolves were forced to settle for a share of the spoils following a spirited clash at Somerset Cricket Club on Saturday night.

Each team had a turn fighting back from a goal down, with first the home side and then the visitors coming from behind.

Raynel Lightbourne emerged as the scoring star for the Zebras while Chae Simmons and Trevor Forth accounted for Wolves' tallies, Forth's a top-drawer effort that would rank among the best this season.

Both sides unveiled new-look defences to begin the match, as Wolves, missing Diallo Sharrieff and Jamel Warren, featured Lonario Simmons and Albert Caisey in the middle, while PHC had to do without the services of Stanton Lewis, out with a leg injury.

A slow start greeted the small crowd gathered at the west end, as neither faction was able to stamp any authority on the proceedings.

However, things unexpectedly picked up in the 22nd minute as Forth stepped up to put Wolves ahead with an absolute `cracker'.

Finding himself in possession in the middle of the park, some 40 yards out, Forth spotted goalkeeper Carlyle Crockwell a shade too far off his line and immediately pulled the trigger, watching with joy as the ball rifled into the top left-hand corner past a hopelessly flailing Crockwell. The 'keeper did much better a minute later, expertly blocking a low drive from Nairobi Smith that was earmarked for the back of the net.

PHC responded in kind, with Stephen Astwood sending an angled drive inches wide of the right post in the 25th minute, while Ottis Steede similarly saw his effort just elude the target moments afterward.

A severe tongue-lashing at half-time by head coach Sammy Swan seemed to light a fire under his troops, and it took but a minute for them to get back on level terms.

Taking advantage of indecision on the part of Wolves' rearguard against a looping forward pass from right-back Damon Francis, Lightbourne latched onto the bobbling ball and volleyed past Michael Higgs.

All of a sudden the Zebras were bursting with energy and able to force Wolves on their heels.

Steede unleashed a blistering drive after 53 minutes that Higgs gleefully watched go over the bar, and then performed the same process when Chris Furbert unloaded a pile driver that was likewise a shade off target.

Swan added himself to the attack with a half hour left and soon after his introduction came what looked to be the winner, as Lightbourne forced the ball over the line on the second attempt, after his first bounded back off the post.

However, the never-say-die attitude of Wolves enabled them to mount a final forward thrust and have Simmons score, the diminutive forward executing a fine turn-and-shoot manoeuvre that left the entire PHC defence wrong-footed.

PHC: C.Crockwell; D.Francis, D.Outerbridge, R.Lewis, A.Washington; O.Steede, C.Furbert, D.Wilson (J.Ball 80 mins); S.Astwood, T.Darrell (S.Swan 63 mins), R.Lightbourne.

Wolves: M.Higgs; J.Douglas, L.Simmons, A.Caisey, T.Trott; T.Forth (C.Smith 71 mins), J.Peniston, M.Ray; Nairobi Smith (S.Crockwell 51 mins), Nakia Smith, C.Simmons.

Men of the match: R.Lightbourne (PHC); C.Simmons (Wolves).

Yellow cards: S.Astwood, D.Francis, R.Lightbourne (PHC).

Referee: Richard Knight.