PHC 2

Hamilton Parish 1

PHC battled back from a goal down against ten-man Hamilton Parish to eventually scrape home in a game they should have won at a canter.

Kevin Lambe's winner six minutes from time was no more than Kyle Lightbourne's side deserved, but they certainly made life difficult for themselves.

The home side missed a host of chances, and for a time it looked like their prolificacy in front of goal would come back to haunt them. But some generous refereeing, and two goals in four minutes, gave Lightbourne's side three points, and sent them second in the Premier Division.

After a turgid first half in which neither side had a meaningful attempt on goal, PHC wasted three golden opportunities in the space of five minutes immediately after the break, with Casey Castle guilty of wasting two of them.

The game changed soon after the second miss with referee Ronue Cann's harsh sending off of Glen Walker.

To be fair to Cann he was acting on the instructions of assistant referee Alton Reid, who seemingly objected to a swear word mentioned within his earshot.

Walker had been tackled by Kenji Griffith in front of the dugouts, and thought that the resulting throw should have gone Parish's way. His comment 'f**k linesman', when it was awarded the other way was apparently enough to earn him his matching orders.

At most the comment was worthy of a quick ticking off, especially as much worse was said throughout the entire 90 minutes of play. It was said in neither a threatening, nor violent manner, but was rather an expletive borne of frustration given that several 50-50 decisions had gone PHC's way in the previous five minute spell.

It wasn't the first mistake the officials made that hurt Parish.

The visiting team should have had a penalty on the stroke of half time when a goal-bound Angelo Cannonier header was handled by PHC defender Robert Richardson.

Given all that had gone before there was a certain inevitability about the first goal, which Parish scored courtesy of an error by PHC goalkeeper Raymond Glasford. Glasford made a hash of catching a tame Rodney Trott shot, then failed to collect the ball at the second attempt, and could only watch from the floor as Romone Smith headed home from six yards out.

The rest of the game was one way traffic, but a combination of desperate defending, and some woeful PHC finishing meant that it wasn't until nine minutes from time that the home side finally broke through.

Chris Furbert picked up the ball outside the area and sent a curling shot past Parish goalkeeper Nigel Burgess.

Three minutes later Furbert split the Parish defence and Stevie Astwood cut the ball back into the six yard box for Kevin Lambe to smash it home.

PHC: R.Glasford, F.Frankson, R.Richardson, O.Shakir, K.Griffith, J.Sealey, S.Astwood, J.Franklin (J.Raynor, 62mins), C.Castle (K.Lambe, 62), R.Lightbourne (C.Robinson, 62). C Furbert.

Substitutes not used: S.Smith, B.Bean, M.Lambe, Q.Burgess.

Scorers: Fubert 81, K.Lambe 84.

Hamilton Parish: N.Burgess, R.Richardson (R.Evans, 73), T.Webb, R.Trott, A.Cannonier, R.Smith, P.Richardson (C.Davis, 56), J.Outerbridge, J.Smith (N.Swan, 73), G.Walker, AR.Ebbin.

Substitutes not used: P.Medeiros, K.Cann.

Scorer: R.Smith 59.

Yellow cards: Shakir, Griffith (PHC). Webb, Evans (Hamilton Parish)

Red card: Walker (Hamilton Parish).

Referee: R Cann

Man of the match: J.Sealey (PHC)

First Division

St. George's 1

MR Onions 0

St.George's' Jahron Dickinson struck moments before half time as Colts beat league newcomers MR Onions at Wellington Oval.

X'Road's 0

Prospect United 0

X'Roads and Prospect shared the points at Garrison Field as neither side could produce the final touch in front of goal.

Ireland Rangers 1

St.David's 2

Mark Crawford's late strike gave St.David's victory over Ireland Rangers at Malabar.

The East Enders had taken the lead through Sean Boddington before Henry Santucci equalised for Rangers.