Paget 1 PHC 1

PHC have handed the title initiative to North Village after dropping points in their derby draw with Paget Lions at Southampton Oval on Saturday.

Despite holding large periods of possession, PHC lacked quality and conviction in a frantic first half, getting forward into dangerous positions without testing goalkeeper Troy Hall. Their best opportunity coming when Jahiem Iris cut back for Jenico Sealey to lay off for Ravi Simmons to fire into a crowd of Paget defenders.

Paget slowly grew into the game and created the best opportunity of a scrappy first half midway through the period when skipper Diaje Hart squared for Delray Rawlins, but the striker and Bermuda’s cricket captainsliced his effort wide of the near post.

The second half began in similar vein to the first but Zebras started to pick up their attacking game and Jenico Sealey drew a solid block from Rakeem Deshields after cutting inside and firing toward the near post.

PHC captain Daren Usher was then sent off midway through the second half for being the last man and taking down the dangerous Kamali Davis just outside the penalty area.

Diaje Hart struck the resulting free-kick towards goal, but shot-stopper Quinaceo Hunt was equal to the effort, tipping it around the near post and the home side wasted the resulting corner by going short before Kamali Davis swung a cross in that was easily gathered by Hunt.

Zebras head coach Quincy Hunt was then sent off for using abusive language after Hart was bundled over by Nathan Furbert just inside the area and referee Renzo Villanueva pointed to the penalty spot.

The controversial moment was met by a plethora of emotion from the stands, but Hart stayed calm to send Hunt the wrong way from 12 yards to give Paget the advantage.

Falling behind seemed to rouse the defending League champions and they patiently probed and started to pass their way into dangerous positions at will as Lions retreated to preserve their slender advantage.

Iris had a solid effort squirm just wide of the far post from the edge of the area with around ten minutes remaining and Kadeem Abraham also smashed an effort high over the crossbar from a similar position.

Zebras would finally find the equaliser their late pressure deserved, with a corner by Keishon Bean pinballing in the penalty area and multiple visiting players having shots blocked, before Bather’s effort grazed the hand of a sliding Deshields.

Anothe penalty was awarded and Bean calmly slotted home in the final minute of normal time to rescue a point.

SCORERS:

Paget: Hart 77 pen

PHC Zebras: Bean 89 pen

TEAMS

Paget (4-1-4-1): T Hall 6 – K Durrant 5 (sub: K Simons, 85min), R Deshields 6, J Carpenter 6, D Frost 6 – D Joell 5 – D Hart 6, S Lambert 5 (sub: P Castle, 73), O Tucker 5, K Davis 6 (sub: M Wade 90+3) – D Rawlins 5. Substitutes not used: B DeGrilla, O Deshields; Booked: Lambert, Frost

PHC Zebras (4-3-3): Q Hunt 6 – D Usher 4, J Bather 6, N Furbert 5, K Abraham 5 – T Showers 6, D Dowling 5, R Simmons 6 (sub: J Ebbin, 69 5) – J Iris 6, E Russell 5 (sub: S Nisbett, 85), J Sealey 5 (sub: K Bean, 69 6). Substitutes not used: S Trott, J Belboda-Raveneau, D Lodge, D Richardson. Booked: Sealey, Iris; Sent off: Usher, Q Hunt (coach)

Referee: R Villanueva (Canada)