- Junior Dowie
KC goalkeeper Elwing Cameron fails in his diving attemp to stop Norman Manley's Ryan Douglas' shot during their Manning Cup game at Tony Spaulding Complex yesterday.
Anthony Foster and Raymond Graham, Freelance Writers
DEFENDING CHAMPIONS Bridgeport, Norman Manley and Jamaica College improved their chances while Spanish Town, Kingston College and Dunoon slipped further as second-round action in the 2002 Pepsi/Sports Plus Manning Cup schoolboy football competition yesterday.
Bridgeport defeated Spanish Town 3-0 at Spanish Town Prison Oval, Norman Manley were also 3-0 winners over Kingston College at the Tony Spaulding Sports Complex, both winners share the lead atop of Group Three on four points each from two games.
In the day's other game, Group Two second-place side Jamaica College, with a double strike from Jelgare Williams (41st and 83rd minutes), bounced back from their 5-1 loss to Wolmer's last Tuesday to beat Dunoon (Tafarie Fairley 68th) 2-1 in the first game at Tony Spaulding.
At Spanish Town Prison Oval, In a repeat of last year's final where both teams played some exciting football before Bridgeport prevailed in extra time, it was a different story yesterday as Spanish Town gave a listless performance and at no time were they in the contest. To make matters worse, the slippery surface did not help.
Both teams came into the contest needing a victory to bolster their semi-final hopes following stalemates in their previous games. It was the defending champions who controlled the game early as they went 2-0 up in the first 20 minutes. First, top striker Dean Thompson scored in the 10th minute when he fired from close range and then six minutes later, Kemar Grant's tame shot went through the hands of the goalkeeper.
It was the same story in the second half as the Spanish Town team failed to reproduce their good early season form and it was left to striker Kemar Petrekin, who came off the bench in the second half, to seal the issue for his team when another substitute, Jermaine Virgo, fed him with an exquisite pass and, with the 'keeper alone to beat, he made no mistake.
However, the game was spoilt at the end when players from both team were restrained by officials and at one stage missiles were thrown at the Bridgeport players from spectators in the stand.
Meanwhile, at Tony Spaulding, immediately after the referee signalled the start, Norman Manley were on the attack and within no time they were 1-0 up
courtesy of an controversial goal which Afis Burnard was credited for in the fourth minute.
The ball came over from a left-side cross and Burnard climbed high but met KC's goalkeeper Elwing Cameron on his way and it appeared the ball came off his hands and went into the goal; the 'keeper protested.
However, with KC trying their best to get back into the game, Norman Manley used the opportunity to counter and it paid off in the 30th minute when Bryan Bayles fired from just inside the area to make it 2-0 and that's how it stayed for the half.
Howard James made it 3-0 for the 1996 champions when he headed home from right-back Burnard.
YESTERDAY'S RESULTS
Bridgeport 3 Spanish Town 0, Norman Manley 3 Kingston College 0, Jamaica College 2 Dunoon 1.
Three more qualifiers for daCosta Cup
Paul A. Reid, Senior Staff Reporter
\
WESTERN BUREAU:
FAVOURITES GARVEY Maceo Comprehensive, former seven-time champions Rusea's High and first-timers William Knibb Memorial of Martha Brae, Trelawny completed the semi-final line-up of the Pepsi/Sports Plus daCosta Cup schoolboy football competition after yesterday's final round of matches in the quarter-finals.
The trio joins early qualifiers Old Harbour High who completed the round with a perfect record of three wins with a 5-2 stomping of St. Elizabeth Technical (STETHS) at Brancourt field.
Garvey Maceo edged Titchfield 1-0, Rusea's were 2-0 winners over Munro while Williams Knibb beat Grange Hill 3-1.
The semi-finals are set for next Saturday with Garvey Maceo meeting William Knibb and Old Harbour and Rusea's clashing in the other game for a place in the November 30 final.
The teams also qualified for the semi-finals of the Ben Francis Knockout which will be played on November 20 with the winners advancing to the November 23 final.
Garvey Maceo topped Group One of the quarter-finals with seven points after edging Titchfield 1-0 at Lynch Park in Buff Bay. Kemar Claire scored in the 18th minute.
Rusea's, with two goals from Keniel Moodie from a free kick in the 64th minute and Jermaine Brown in time added on at the end of the game, took second place with a 2-0 win over Munro College at STETHS.
Old Harbour emerged Group Two winners after their victory at Brancourt while Knibb took the other spot, their first time past the quarter-finals.
National Under-20 representative Carlington Smith scored four times for Old Harbour, bagging a hat-trick in an eight-minute burst. He scored in the 30th, 35th, 38th and 50th minutes while Duran Myton got the other in the 44th minute.
The Paul 'Tegat' Davis-coached William Knibb managed to avenge a 2-1 loss to Grange Hill in the previous round as they raced to a 2-0 lead after just 12 minutes.
Both goals came from similar build-ups down the right wing and crossed into the centre. Ricardo Geddes opened the scoring in the 10th minute when he crashed in a rebound after goalkeeper Kemar Johnson failed to properly clear a cross from Delroy Ellis.
Ellis was on the other end of a cross two minutes later, this time from Kevon Pinnock and headed it powerfully past the goalkeeper.
Odaine Hines scored the goal of the day in the 39th when he sent a 30-yard volley past Johnson who could only watch the ball fly past him and into the back of the net.
Grange Hill who have lost their past two games after falling just once in their previous 10, controlled the second half for long periods but had just a penalty conversion by Gary McIntosh to show for their efforts. Martin Williams was fouled in the area by goalkeeper Nish Sterling and McIntosh scored easily.
YESTERDAY'S RESULTS
Munro 0 Rusea's 2, Garvey Maceo 1 Titchfield 0, Old Harbour 5 STETHS 2, William Knibb 3 Grange Hill 1.
