Enrique Russell’s maiden hat-trick for the PHC senior team guided the Zebras to their first win of the season yesterday at White Hill Field.

Russell, the great-grandson of former Zebras legend Earl “Townsey” Russell who died two months ago, tormented the Eagles defence to score late in the first half and early in the second to put PHC comfortably in front.

He was then was on hand inside the six-yard box for a simple tap-in in the 90th minute after goalkeeper Jermaine Rumley blocked a low shot from Marco Warren.

“Hopefully this is the first of many,” the 20-year-old said. “I’m grateful. I’ll take those all day ... tap-ins.

“We’ve put in the work, so I think we deserved it, for working hard since preseason.”

Russell is getting his chance under new coach Winston Trott Jr after the departure of nine players during the summer, including two — Kadeem Abraham and Dupray Joell — who played for Eagles yesterday.

“I’m trying to fill the boots of those players who were key players,” Russell said. “This is our first win and hopefully it is the first of many.

“We were unlucky against Devonshire Colts when we went up 2-1 and then conceded late, and against Robin Hood when the 6-1 wasn’t the score we felt we deserved.”

The scoreline might have been different had Nathan Rego converted a breakaway in the 24th minute when he used his speed to chase down a long clearance after a PHC free kick on the left side of the penalty box. Rego got inside the box but his effort was blocked by the advancing goalkeeper Shaquille Trott.

After Warren shot over the bar, having collected a pass back from full back Shakhai Trott in the wake of an overlap down the right side, PHC took the lead 11 minutes later when Russell collected a pass on the left side of the box, cut in on his former Zebras team-mate Abraham and planted his shot in at the near post.

Rego and captain Anwar Telford were the main threats for Eagles whenever they pushed forward, but it was PHC who earned a deserved lead at the break and then doubled it early in the second half when Russell, after taking a pass inside the box under pressure, turned and shot past Rumley from ten yards.

He completed his hat-trick in the final minute when Warren’s shot from an angle on the left side of the box was parried by the goalkeeper. Russell was on hand to tap the loose ball over the line from close range.

PHC looked like their old selves as they confidently moved the ball around inside the Eagles half, knowing that the points were in the bag. Eagles prevented the shutout when substitute Tahj Wade blasted his shot into the near post after collecting a pass on the left side of the box.

“Credit to my team for playing well because without them I wouldn’t have had those chances,” Russell said. “Marco is a great player and just his movements alone frees up space for me.”

SCORERS

Somerset Eagles: Wade 90+4

PHC: Russell 37, 56, 90

TEAMS

Somerset Eagles (4-4-2): J Rumley — K Abraham, K Evans, D Woolridge, A Morrissey — K Durrant (sub: E Fubler, 80 min), S Greenidge-Saltus, D Simmons (sub: T Wade, 66), TR Wilson (sub: D Joell, 75) — N Rego, A Telford. Substitutes not used: S Lambert, R Saggar, G Smith. Booked: Greenidge-Saltus, Morrissey.

PHC (4-5-1): Shaquille Trott — Shakhai Trott, N Griffith, M Lambe, D Smith-Lightbourne — D Usher, M Warren, K Bean, J Sealey (sub: C Booth, 66), M Joell (sub: M Simmons, 86) — E Russell. Substitutes not used: T Welch, J Lines, Z Lee, K Hypolite, A Douglas. Booked: Sealey, Russell.

Referee: D Jackson.