Paul A. Reid, Staff Reporter
WESTERN BUREAU:
MANNINGS SCHOOL raced to their consecutive fifth win in Zone C of the ISSA Pepsi/ Sports Plus daCosta Cup rural area schoolboys football competition yesterday after edging Little London 1-0 in their return round game at the Bay Road Sports Complex in Savanna-la-mar.
Heavy rain that have affected the island this week continued to play havoc with the schedule as three games were washed out yesterday and another was called off because of crowd problems, the second time this week.
The games that were affected by rain were the Zone A game between St James High and Herbert Morrison, Green Island vs Frome in Zone B and Ewarton vs Dinthill in Zone J.
The Mile Gully vs Spalding game was blown off due to crowd problems in the second half. On Wednesday the St Mary Technical and Islington game was also called off due to crowd problems.
Meanwhile a number of rescheduled games that were washed out on Wednesday will be replayed tomorrow.
In Savanna-la-mar yesterday, 15 year-old Draion McNain scored his fifth goal of the season to lead the Dave Scott coached Mannings team to the verge of qualification to the Inter-Zone round. Mannings lead the zone with maximum 15 points and could clinch their place in the next round by next weekend.
Mannings are eight points ahead of second placed Petersfield who tied 1-1 with Godfrey Stewart.
Manchester High meanwhile climbed to within a point of Bellefield in the standings after a big 5-1 win over Cross Keys.
In Zone B, Grange Hill avenged their opening game loss to defending champions Rusea's, carving out a late 1-0 win at Belle Isle Sports Complex.
Delon Crooks converted a corner for the Westmoreland team to beat Rusea's sending the champions to their second loss of the season. The win also brought both teams into a tie on seven points, one behind leaders Frome Comprehensive.
St Elizabeth Technical (STETHS) thumped Balaclava 7-0 in Zone E maintained their unbeaten record while Christiana and Holmwood in Zone G, Garvey Maceo in Zone I, Charlemont in Zone J, Islington in Zone K and Titchfield in Zone L all managed to stay unbeaten, scoring wins.
Garvey Maceo's 2-1 win eliminated Porus from Inter-Zone contention and they will join former champions Vere Technical in playing for pride for the remainder of the season.
Seven different players got on the score sheet as Black River romped to a 7-0 win over Newell but they are still trailing leaders Munro College who were 3-0 winners over BB Coke.
YESTERDAY'S RESULTS
Zone A: William Knibb 4 Anchovy 0, St James High vs Herbert Morrison- washed out.
Zone B: Green Island vs Frome- washed out, Grange Hill 1 Rusea's 0.
Zone C: Little London 0 Mannings 1, Petersfield 1 Godfrey Stewart 1.
Zone D: Ferncourt 2 York Castle 1.
Zone E: BB Coke 0 Munro 3, Newell 0 Black River 7, Balaclava 0 STETHS 7.
Zone F: DeCarteret 2 Bellefield 2, Cross Keys 1 Manchester High 5, Winston Jones 1 May Day 1.
Zone G: Holmwood 1 Knox 0, Christiana 4 Albert Town 0, Mile Gully vs Spalding- blown off- crowd problem.
Zone H: Lennon 0 Clarendon College 2.
Zone I: Kemps Hill 0 Bustamante 0, Porus 1 Garvey Maceo 2.
Zone J: Ewarton vs Dinthill- washed out, Charlemont 5 McGrath 1.
Zone K: St Mary High 2 Brimmer Vale 2, Annotto Bay 3 Islington 4.
Zone L: Happy Grove 0 Titchfield 2, Seaforth 1 St Thomas Technical 0.
