PHC Zebras 1

Devonshire Cougars 2

Ricardo Brangman's last-minute penalty save made Devonshire Cougars champions in everything but name after a dramatic game at Southampton Oval yesterday.

Although Cougars could still technically be caught by Dandy Town Hornets, Devar Boyles' side go into their final game against North Village Rams next weekend three points clear of their rivals and with a vastly superior goal difference.

It could all have been so different, however, as PHC came within a whisker of grabbing a draw and setting up a nerve-wracking final weekend.

With the title seemingly heading back to Devonshire for the third time in five years and time almost up, Kwame Steede handled the ball inside the area and went from hero to villan in the space of three minutes.

Steede had put his side back in front from the penalty spot just moments earlier after PHC defender Mickey Lambe's clumsy challenge on Korvon Tucker, but as the defending champions pressed for an equaliser the Cougars skipper suffered a moment of madness.

However, Brangman came to his side's rescue, leaping high to his left to claw away Chris Furbert's penalty, but even then there might have been a final twist to a thrilling encounter.

The goalkeeper was well off his line before Furbert took his kick and referee Anthony Francis would have been well within his rights to order the kick to be re-taken. He didn't and the final whistle sparked wild celebrations on and off the pitch.

Brangman's save was the last act of a game that could have gone either way, and Cougars might count themselves lucky to have escaped with a win and a full complement of players still on the pitch.

Not that the start of the game hinted at the excitment to follow. In a scrappy opening, neither side really took control with the majority of the action taking place in the centre circle. Chances were few and far between with Lamont Brangman wasting Cougars' best opening after he fired wide from inside the area.

Ten minutes before the break Cecoy Robinson went even closer for PHC, rattling the crossbar with a shot that beat Brangman but then bounced out. Less than a minute later Cougars were ahead in fortunate circumstances.

With PHC down to nine men after injuries to Quinton Burgess and Jonny Ball, the ball fell to Tumani Steede inside the Zebras penalty area and he made no mistake from 12 yards out.

The second half started much as the first, and as the game wore on, Cougars appeared to be heading to victory. But then a PHC corner hit a hand inside the penalty area and everything changed. Furbert stepped up and scored, despite Brangman getting a hand to the ball.

PHC will be wondering how they managed to lose the game and their title along with it. But, so far have they fallen this season, that any hopes of defending their title were gone before the end of October. And, if it wasn't for the upcoming changes to the league structure, they would be facing a relegation battle with Southampton Rangers next weekend with the loser being relegated.

However, after equalising, PHC looked the better side for a time, and even had the ball in the back of the net a second time only for Robinson's effort to be ruled out for offside. Tension had been steadily building throughout the game and it finally boiled over with a clash between Kwame Steede and Ball bringing the rest of the players into a shoving match that took a while to calm down.

In the end both players were booked and Steede made his continued presence count three minutes from time.

The Cougars skipper showed nerves of steel to dispatch the penalty that gave his side the lead for a second time. That he was able to enjoy it was entirely down to Brangman's heroics in a dramatic final few minutes.

PHC Zebras: J Smith, O Shakir, T Russell (M Lambe, 46 mins), K Richards, B Bean, C Furbert, K Lewis, S Astwood, C Robinson (C Castle, 77 mins), Q Burgess (J Sealey, 36 mins). Subs not used: R Glasford, L Holder, J Franklin.

Devonshire Cougars: R Brangman, D Cox, J Butterfield, I Mallory, R Robinson, T Steede, K Steede, K Tucker, Moses Steede (Mark Steede, 81 mins), D Coddington, L Brangman (M Smith, 81 mins). Subs not used: T Smith, P Evans, S Brangman, O Butterfield, Z White.

Booked: Ball, Richards, Lewis, Astwood (PHC); K Steede (Cougars).

Referee: A Francis

Man of the match: T Steede