PHC Zebras 12 Somerset Eagles 0

PHC romped to the season’s biggest win as Somerset Eagles capitulated in the second half when they conceded seven goals in 28 minutes at PHC Field yesterday.

Antwan Russell led the scoring with four goals while Enrique Russell netted a hat-trick and Tre Ming added two more early in the second half.

Despite the margin of victory, PHC did not break the deadlock until the 16th through Antwan Russell, who doubled his tally on the half-hour mark.

The win makes the Zebras the highest scoring team in the Premier Division, though they still trail leaders Dandy Town by five points and with a game in hand.

“The main thing when you play against teams you feel you should beat handily, is to maintain the professionalism and make sure you don’t care who gets the chances as long as someone puts them away,” said captain Marco Warren who scored a brilliant free kick in the first half and was an inspiration in midfield.

“We may have started a little slowly but we weren’t gong to let that frustrate us. We just made sure we got one and then got the next and the next and the next.

“I’m happy with the result because we do need [a good] goal difference. Even though we are the highest scorers, it was great we kept a clean sheet today.”

As expected in this match against the bottom team, PHC created the bulk of the early chances before Antwan Russell opened his account with a driven shot past the diving Joshua Roberts.

A similar effort from Enrique Russell on the left side two minutes later, when he got past the full back Shawn James before his shot aimed at the far post was turned around the post for a corner by Roberts.

After that PHC had a frustrating period, plenty of possession but nothing to show for it before Antwan Russell doubled the lead, this time with a left-footed shot into the bottom corner after Keishon Bean set him up inside the box.

That goal opened the floodgates as three more goals came in the final nine minutes of the half. Goal number three came from Enrique Russell who showed good skill to shrug off a challenge on the left side of the box before tucking his effort into the far post.

Captain Marco Warren added the fourth four minutes before the break when he blasted his free kick from the edge of the box inside the far post despite Jensen Rogers, the Eagles player-coach, standing on the goalline to provide extra cover.

Enrique Russell made it 5-0 two minutes later when he ran with the ball from inside his own half and scored with a follow-up after his initial shot was blocked.

Goals came fast and plenty in the second half after Tre Ming got things going again in the 50th minute to make it 6-0.

Antwan Russell completed his hat-trick, with Enrique Russell adding the eighth on the hour from close range to complete his hat-trick.

With their fans calling for more, PHC responded generously, scoring four more goals in the space of 14 minutes. Ming scored his second of the match in the 64th minute after a header from Antwan Russell put him through of the Eagles defence before he lobbed his effort over the goalkeeper to make it 9-0.

Two minutes later a chip cross from Warren on the right put Antwan Russell through to score his fourth goal of the game and take PHC into double figures.

Russell was substituted immediately afterwards, but the goals kept coming as substitutes Daren Usher and Omari Tucker netted in the 71st and 78th minutes.

Usher blasted home from close range and Tucker finished off a good move started by Warren when he played a ball over the halfway line to put him through to run into the box before scoring at the second attempt.

Usher had replaced full back Shakhai Trott and Tucker came on for Russell, both in the 67th minute.

SCORERS

PHC Zebras: A Russell 16, 30, 57, 66; E Russell 35, 43, 60; M Warren 41, Ming 50, 64; Usher 71, Tucker 78

TEAMS

PHC (4-3-3): C Fubler 6 ‒ Shakhai Trott 6 (sub: D Usher 67, 6), M Lambe 6, R DeShields 6, D Smith-Lightbourne 6 ‒ M Warren 8, T Ming 7 (sub: D Lodge, 67, 6); K Abraham 6 (sub: M Joell, 71) ‒ A Russell 8 (sub: O Tucker, 67, 6); E Russell 7 (sub: K Hypolite; 60), K Bean 6. Substitutes not used: Shaquille Trott, N Griffith. Booked: Usher.

Som Eagles (4-4-2): J Roberts 5 ‒ S James 5, K Harrison 5, J Rogers 5, M Iris-Simmons 5 ‒ D Joell 5, A Telford 5, J Tucker 5, E Fubler 5 ‒ D Simmons 5, S Smith 5. Substitute not used: J Rumley. Booked: Tucker.

Referee: D Jackson