PHC Zebras 3 Somerset Trojans 1

PHC Zebras took advantage of defensive mistakes to cruise past Somerset at PHC Stadium on Saturday night.

Somerset started well but failed to capitalise on their early momentum until a strong counter-attacking move by Jaden Ratteray-Smith and Simeon Burrows ended with the latter being taken down from behind by De-Aun Lodge.

Burrows struck the resulting free-kick hard and low towards goalkeeper Coleridge Fubler, who parried the effort straight into the path of Ratteray-Smith who slotted into the empty net.

The home side quickly recovered after losing the first goal, patiently moving the ball around until a clear-cut opening was created.

Their best chance to equalise in the first half came when captain Marco Warren picked out Kadeem Abraham, whose initial effort was palmed away by goalkeeper Azar Morrissey who then quickly got up from the first strike to acrobatically tip the rebound from Shavon Nisbett wide of his far post.

Just before half-time, Warren just failed to capitalise on a retreating Somerset defence, driving into space in the attacking third before firing a low strike just wide of the far post.

Last season’s runners-up drew level early in the second half with another well-worked move. Nisbett stole the ball as the visitors were passing it along the back line before making a good exchange of passes with T’syi Showers, who cut inside and curled his effort in off the far post.

Moments later, midfield maestro Warren should have had his second assist of the night. Abraham took the ball back from a loose pass into midfield by Somerset and fed the club captain in a promising position. Warren drove his cutback into the path of Paul Simons, who fired his effort just over the crossbar.

Zebras took the lead midway through the second period. Warren curled a corner into the penalty area but Somerset failed to defend it properly and Keishon Bean had an effort stopped well by Morrissey. The rebound fell to Simons, who made no mistake and finished into the near post from close range.

Trojans thought they had equalised two minutes from time after substitute Nathan Rego found Kee-Zai Cann in space along the right flank. The youngster’s cross was bundled towards goal by Burrows, but referee Oshane Nation adjudged the whole ball had not crossed the line.

The home side wrapped up the points moments after that controversial call, quickly moving the ball down the field, with skipper Warren driving into space from just inside his own half and picking out Bean across halfway. Bean found a good ball into the penalty area for Diondre Dowling, who composed himself to fire into the bottom corner from the edge of the opposition penalty area.

Zebras assistant coach Quincy Hunt was pleased with their response to a slow start. “We started poorly,” he said. “Second half we were really good, we played our game, and got the three goals.”

Hunt said Zebras are on the hunt for silverware this season. “We want to win titles,” he added. “This is why we play, to win.”

SCORERS

PHC Zebras

Showers 48, Simons 74, Dowling 90

Somerset Trojans

Jaden Ratteray-Smith 19

TEAMS

PHC Zebras (4-3-3): C Fubler 6 – D Smith-Lightbourne 6, N Griffith 6, J Bather 6, D Lodge 6 – D Usher 6, K Abraham 7, M Warren 7 – S Nisbett 6 (sub: D Dowling, 69min 6), P Simons 7, T Showers 7 (sub: K Bean, 58 5)

Substitutes not used: D Joell, M Lambe, K Lewis, J Hassell, D Richardson; Booked: K Bean

Somerset Trojans (4-2-3-1): A Morrissey 7 – K Joyiens 5 (sub: T Harris 38 4), C Durham 4, Jaz Ratteray-Smith 4, Z Saltus-Seymour 4 – M Joell 4, Jaiden Ratteray-Smith 5 – K McNeil 5 (sub: N Rego, 77), S Burrows 3, J Butterfield 4– M Aden 4 (sub: K Cann, 61 4)

Substitutes not used: J Shields, Q Watson, J Brangman; Booked: S Burrows. Sent off: S Burrows

Referee: O Nation (Jamaica)