PHC bounced back from their first defeat of the season against Wolves on Sunday to knock Dandy Town out of the Friendship Trophy in a volatile tie at BAA Field last night.

In a match marred by three red cards, first half goals from Stephen Astwood and McLee Smith put the Zebras in control and Otis Steede added a third late on.

Astwood, on his return after a one-match ban for being dismissed against Somerset, earned himself another sending off for kicking Lloyd Christopher off the ball in injury time right in front of referee Stuart Crockwell.

PHC's Dennis Wainwright was the first to receive his marching orders for flattening Christopher in the 68th minute.

And 11 minutes later, Town were reduced to 10 men when Paul Cann was spotted by referee's assistant Lyndon Raynor kicking an opponent while the ball was out of play and Crockwell produced the red card again.

It was the second successive game Crockwell had dismissed three players, after he had officiated Sunday's clash between Town and Devonshire Colts, though none of last night's miscreants could argue against their red cards.

The match started scrappily and the first serious goal attempt came from the Zebras in the 17th minute when Steede fired over from 10 yards from Duval Wilson's left-wing cross.

Astwood opened the scoring in the 22nd minute. The speedy striker latched onto Eddy Dowling's pass, beat a defender and after seeing his shot beaten out by Town keeper Antoine Lightbourne, he cracked home the rebound himself.

Three minutes later the lead doubled when Dano Outerbridge's long free-kick found Wilson beyond the far post and his cross was slammed into the net from close range by McLee Smith, who clearly relished scoring against his old club.

Only a fine last-ditch tackle by Outerbridge kept Shaki Minors from pulling one back for Town on the half hour after Cann's superb cross caused a scramble in the PHC six-yard box.

And Town should have opened their account 12 minutes after the break. The Zebras defence was caught square when Devarr Boyles won a 50-50 ball with Eddy Dowling and found himself clean through. Boyles' shot beat PHC keeper John Durrant, but bounced back off the bar into Durrant's hands.

Town's other best efforts came from midfielder Pernell Douglas who twice tested Durrant with long-range dipping volleys.

Douglas also got a foot to a dangerous free-kick from the left flank by Cann, but again Durrant was equal to it.

Astwood was unlucky not to grab his second 10 minutes from time, when he turned 20 yards from goal and saw his glorious effort crash back off the bar to Ricky Mallory who had time to chest it down but then volleyed too high.

A hopeful long ball into the Town box led to the third goal in the 89th minute, when defender Raymond Beach miscontrolled and Steede stole in to poke the ball past Lightbourne.

Town: A.Lightbourne, L.Christopher, W.Rudo, R.Beach, C.Azhar (S.Tuzo 72 mins), P.Douglas, D.Boyles, P.Cann, H.Wolfe (K.Hurdle 68 mins), C.Smith, S.Minors (R.Tucker 57 mins).

PHC: J.Durrant, C.Dowling, D.Outerbridge (S.Lewis 45 mins), R.Lewis, D.Wainwright, E.Dowling (A.Washington 64 mins), O.Steede, R.Mallory, S.Astwood, M.Smith, D.Wilson (S.Simmons 72 mins).

Men of the match: Pernell Douglas (Town); Otis Steede (PHC) Yellow cards: Boyles (Town); R.Lewis (PHC) Red cards: Cann (Town); Wainwright, Astwood (PHC) Referee: Stuart Crockwell Devonshire Cougars 3 Ireland Rangers 0 Cougars knocked their First Division promotion-chasing rivals Ireland Rangers out of the Shield at BAA Field last night.

Cougars took the lead through Trevor Smith in the 34th minute and held their lead until the interval.

And two goals in three minutes early in the second half killed off Rangers.

First Shawn Smith struck in the 47th minute and Mark Smith made it 3-0 two minutes later.