PHC Zebras 1 North Village 0

Enrique Russell scored the only goal for defending Premier Division champions PHC to inflict the first defeat of the season on league leaders North Village last night.

Russell made up for missing a number of chances when he scored with an overhead kick from close range nine minutes before time. It was his fifth goal of the season.

The seventh win of the season lifted third-placed PHC to 21 points, on goal difference behind Devonshire Cougars.

Before the loss to PHC, Village had won seven and drawn one match for a total of 22 points. They are in danger of being dislodged from the top of the table by Cougars should Kwame Steede’s side collect three points against Dandy Town on December 30.

Elated PHC coach Quincy Hunt declared that they were not going to surrender their title on a silver platter.

“We’re just worried about us, we know what we have to do,’’ Hunt said. “As the defending champions, we just have to defend our title. If they want it, they have to earn it, we’re not giving up easily.”

PHC pressed for a goal from the start, with Detre Bell, the Village goalkeeper, called into action to deny Russell in the first minute. Russell was once again thwarted by Bell in the 24th minute when he went for goal.

With half an hour played, Village midfielder Troy Tucker dribbled past PHC goalkeeper Quinaceo Hunt, but the stopper did well to narrow the angle, forcing Tucker to shoot into the side-netting.

Russell had his ferocious shot at goal cleared by Jalen Harvey in the 32nd minute as the home side continued pressing for a goal.

The PHC forward let Village off the hook at the start of the second half when he came up with a tame effort. Joshua Joseph also came close to scoring for PHC, when his clever dummy allowed him to take aim at goal in the 58th minute, only for the ball to go wide.

With the match seemingly headed for a share of the spoils, Jaheim Iris made a brilliant run down the left. While Village managed to shut him down, they did not clear the danger, PHC recycled the ball and Russell was there to finish things off with an exquisite strike.

PHC continued pressing for a goal in added time and substitute Arnezha Astwood had his well-executed free kick from outside the box pushed out for a corner by Bell.

SCORERS

PHC: Russell 81

TEAMS

PHC Zebras (4-3-3): Q Hunt 6 – J Bather 6, D Smith-Lightbourne 6, D Usher 6, D Dowling 6 – A Simons 6, K Abraham 6 (sub: McDowell 86min), J Iris 7 – T Showers 6 (sub: A Astwood, 90), J Joseph 6 (sub: J Sealy 86), E Russell 7. Substitutes not used: S Trott, Z Lee, S Simmons. Booked: Usher, Simmons, Iris.

North Village (4-4-2): D Bell 6 – K Knights 6, J Outerbridge 5, J Harvey 6, T Wilson 6 – C Castle 5, T Tucker 6, T Ming 6, A Dill 5 – L Steede-Jackson 5 (sub: D Wainwright 65 5), J Smith-Deshields 5. Substitutes not used: P Smith, I Simmons, T Fray, T Bell, V Perinchief, A Dos Santos.

Referee: O Hamilton.