PHC Zebras 2 Devonshire Cougars 1

Devonshire Cougars were left fuming after an added-time header from substitute Mark Steede was ruled out for offside to deny them a share of the spoils at PHC Field yesterday.

PHC scored their second goal in the 90th minute through substitute Kushae Hypolite before Steede looked to have salvaged a point for the visiting side, steering a header past goalkeeper Calvin Thomas from a rebound six minutes into injury time.

However, the Cougars’ joy was short-lived as the assistant referee’s flag was raised for offside before referee Garic Swainson ruled out the effort.

Tempers flared as Cougars players surrounded the officials to protest the call and afterwards Omar Butterfield, the Cougars coach, voiced his frustration after his team were denied a second straight draw against one of the top teams.

“It’s a hard way to lose; it’s halfway officiating and it’s ruining the game,” Butterfield said. “Now I’ve got to calm down 20 guys because of a poor decision.

“We have been working hard all week and played a good game. We came up here and gave everything we could and it’s very frustrating that our fight comes down to nothing because of a poor decision.

“We had a player sent off in the first 20 minutes last weekend; all I’m asking is for the BFA to make the officials accountable. If we have to be accountable for what we’re doing then they have to be the same way.”

PHC had more than their share of the possession in the first half but the best chances fell to Cougars as Chae Brangman had a shot blocked for a corner by defender Na’eem Griffith.

Late in the half, Cougars had two more chances to break the deadlock, first when striker Jomeko Mallory put his effort wide after goalkeeper Thomas was drawn out towards the edge of the box.

A couple of minutes later, Brangman made a strong run down the right side of the box before firing inches over the crossbar. The match picked up after the break, with both teams forced into early substitutions. Jaheim Iris limped off with a pulled hamstring just 22 seconds into the half after a run down the left flank, to be replaced by Hypolite.

The game’s first goal came ten minutes into the second half when a good move by PHC allowed captain Cecoy Robinson to lay on a squared pass to Marco Warren just outside the box and he hit a first-time shot that went in off the post.

Cougars defender Zekiro White was forced off with a leg injury in the 62nd minute and was replaced by Cashun Brangman.

The Cougars equaliser finally came through a header from midfielder Zari Simmons just moments after Allan Douglas came on to boost their attack alongside Brangman.

There was plenty of drama late in the match with PHC scoring in the 90th minute when Zakiyah Lee raced through down the left side and unleashed a shot that hit the upright before Hypolite, following up, forced the ball home from six yards.

PHC were reduced to ten men when defender Rakeem DeShields received a red card for a second booking after a foul in the 80th minute. Moments later, PHC almost added a third when Hypolite met Warren’s cross but his low shot was turned against the upright by goalkeeper Lovintz Tota. The win moves PHC back level on points at the top with Robin Hood.

SCORERS

PHC Zebras: Warren 56, Hypolite 90

Devonshire Cougars: Simmons 70

TEAMS

PHC Zebras (4-3-3): C Thomas — D Usher, N Griffith, R DeShields, A Smith-Lightbourne — M Waldron, T Ming, M Warren — C Robinson, J Iris, (sub: K Hypolite, 47min), Z Lee. Substitutes not used: S Trott, M Lambe, Z Ming-Wilson, J Sealey. Sent off: DeShields

Devonshire Cougars (4-4-2): L Tota — N Carmichael, C Maybury, Z White, D Williams — D Simmons, J Furbert-Wade (sub: A Douglas, 70), Z Simmons, Zekiro White (sub: Cashun Brangman, 62) — Chae Brangman, J Mallory (sub: M Steede, 83). Substitutes not used: D Spencer-Robinson, J Mouchette, N Simmons, J Amory. Booked: Furbert-Wade, Williams, Carmichael, Douglas.

Referee: G Swainson.