By LeVaughnn Flynn, Staff ReporterCHARLIE SMITH, clinging to their schoolboy football season, are set to be fed to the sharks by Dunoon and St. Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) in the last leg of the first round in the Pepsi/Sports Plus Manning Cup competition today.
Dunoon and STATHS play a crucial game at the Cement Company field on Florizel Glasspole Road in Kingston this afternoon, and the outcome will dramatically impact on Charlie Smith's Manning Cup tenure.
Charlie Smith, who have played all their games, are tied with Dunoon for most points in Group E on 16, while STATHS are next on 13.
ADVANTAGE STATHS
Although Charlie Smith have the biggest margin in goal difference (24), STATHS may have the best advantage as they have two games remaining. After playing Dunoon, STATHS will play a rescheduled game against Kingston Technical on Monday.
Charlie Smith will be satisfied with either team winning, but not a draw. That would place Charlie Smith between a rock and a hard place as Dunoon will be a point ahead of Charlie Smith. STATHS would have 14 points and a game in hand in which they would be favoured to win against Kingston Technical.
Charlie Smith's coach, Jerome Waite, said yesterday that at this point there was nothing he could do but wait.
"We just have to sit back and hear the result of the Dunoon-STATHS game. We have completed our fixtures," Waite said.
"Dunoon and STATHS have outstanding games and Friday will be the deciding game. If the game is drawn, both teams will advance based on STATHS having a weaker team to play in their last game. But anyone that wins means that the loser is automatically out and we would qualify as the second-place team," he said.
POINTLESS
In other games today, Group E cellar-dwellers Jose Marti will complete their season at home versus Kingston Technical. Campion, the only team that has remained pointless, face Group B standouts Bridgeport. Bridge-port have maintained a perfect win record and are looking to enter the second round in the same fashion.
Norman Manley and Donald Quarrie have secured their second-round berth and will end the first round against St. Catherine and St. George's College respectively. Norman Manley clinched a second-round spot on Tuesday with a 2-0 win over Calabar.
In that game, Norman Manley's coach, Alrick Clarke, said he tried different combinations by reserving two of his best forwards until the final 25 minutes. Clarke will have another chance to 'mix it up' against St. Catherine "in order to have different options."
