PHC Zebras 2 Boulevard Blazers 0

PHC Zebras capitalised on two crucial misses by the Blazers to trot away with all three points at Goose Gosling Field on Friday night.

Tre Ming and Marco Warren were the beneficiaries of the two golden opportunities presented to them within a minute of each miss to seal the deal, leaving Troy Smith, the Boulevard manager frustrated afterwards.

“We have got to put away our chances,” he said. “We had the chance to take the lead and we had put them away, it would have been a more competitive game.’

Although PHC dominated play throughout, it was the Boulevard who had the first scoring chance in the 18th minute, when skipper Dunn Ya Taylor played a long ball through for player/coach Ian Coke to run onto leaving him one on one with PHC keeper Shaquille Trott. Coke raced his shot and struck it wide of the keeper’s right upright.

This proved crucial as within a minute of this miss, Darren Usher dribbled the ball to the touch line before squaring it into the middle for a simple tap in by Bermuda International, Ming.

Ming came close to scoring again when his firm freekick from 25 yards skimmed the cross bar with the keeper stranded.

Stand in Boulevard keeper, Antione Famous, kept the score respectable with some good positioning and bravery to restrict the Zebra’s scoring.

Despite not holding onto many shots, the keeper was brave to dive at the feet of the Zebra’s attackers to smother his rebounds. On one such case, he had to be treated but remained in the game.

Famous was also well positioned to push a Marquel Waldron drive from some 30 yards around the post for a corner.

After the break, it was the Blazers who had the first scoring chance again when Aldonte Smith was left with just the keeper to beat when a pass was deflected into his path but his toe-poke shot went straight into the keeper’s arms.

This added insult to injury as the ball was played forward to find another Bermuda International and midfield maestro, Warren whose low shot was partially blocked by keeper Famous but strong enough to roll into the corner of the net.

The Blazers had two consecutive opportunities to score when first Zico Stovell’s goal bound shot was blocked by the recovering defender Robbie Richardson then Coke controlled the ball in the middle of the park before turning and unleashing a shot that just missed the bottom corner of Trott’s net.

PHC came more into the game as the second half counted down with short passes through the midfield while the Blazers faded.

PHC Assistant Coach, Winston Trott Jr, was humbled with his team’s performance.

“We settled as the game went on,” he said. “We are still recovering from the loss to Dandy Town but this is work in progress. We are getting back to our stride and things can only get better.”

SCORERS

PHC Zebras

T Ming 19, M Warren 53

TEAMS

Boulevard Blazers (4-3-3)

A Famous – Zico Stovell, J Williams, N Augustus, T Butterfield – D Taylor, Y Darrell (Sub: Terrence Stovell 46), Neko Smith – T Douglas, I Coke, Aldonte Smith.

Booked: A Smith

PHC Zebras (4-1-3-2)

Shaquille Trott – D Usher, D Dowling, R Richardson, D Smith-Lightbourne – M Waldron – M Warren, T Ming, Shakhai Trott – A Grant (J Warren-Smith 67), C Robinson. Substitutes not used: M Lambe, K Hypolite, J Sealey, D Lodge, Z Weller, B Degrilla. Booked: Nil

Referee: A Francis