Jonathan Grant's Damion Morris (right) comes under a strong challenge from Kemar Haynes of Norman Manley during yesterday's Manning Cup encounter at the Spanish Town Prison Oval. Norman Manley won 1-0. - Michael Sloley NORMAN MANLEY scratched out an ugly 1-0 win over Jonathan Grant in their Group D top-of-the table Manning Cup clash at the Spanish Town Prison Oval yesterday.
With the win, the Maxfield Avenue-based team moved to eight points from four games, three more than Jonathan Grant.
"It was a really hard-fought win," said a relieved Alrick Clarke, coach of Norman Manley.
"A number of our players are still injured. In addition to that, our entire defensive unit is down with the flu. In the second half Jonathan Grant dominated the game primarily because our fitness is just not there yet but we defended well to hold on for the win."
Peeved by the loss, Connery Wilshire, coach of Jonathan Grant said his team's poor performance in the first half was the main reason for the loss.
"This was a game that we should have won," he said. "However, I thought we lost the game from the first half. Our marking was terrible, some of the players held on to the ball too much and our defence performed poorly.
"But in the second half, we dominated the game but just failed to score. It's tough but the players will just have to learn from this," added Wilshire.
Norman Manley scored what proved to be the winning goal in only the 17th minute of play while they were dominating the home team.
A pass from the midfield by Weston Forrest found Everald Thompson at the top of the 18-yard box for him to hit to the left of Syron Paisley and send the small Norman Manley contingent wild.
It was not until the second half that Jonathan Grant settled down and started to string some neat passes together which almost bore fruit.
The Spanish Town team got that best opportunity to draw 10 minutes before the end of regulation time when David Harrison's right sided cross found the head of Omar Cummings inside the six yard box, but he headed inches past the left upright.
RESULTS
Vauxhall 0 St. Anne's 1; Calabar 0 Dunoon 3; Jonathan 0 Norman Manley 1; St. Andrew Technical 1 St. Jago 0; Denham Town 4 Mona 0.
TODAY'S GAMES - Spanish Town vs Tivoli at the Spanish Town Prison Oval, Waterford vs Wolmer's at Waterford, Kingston Technical vs Jose Marti at Kingston Technical playfield, Penwood vs Bridgeport at Penwood, Trench Town vs Charlie Smith at Tony Spaulding Sports Complex, Camperdown vs Ardenne at Vauxhall, Ascot vs Kingston College at Ascot and Excelsior vs Jamaica College at Excelsior.
