- ANDREW SMITH/PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
Excelsior's Ricardo Scott watches the ball being controlled by Jamaica College's Greg Smart during Manning Cup action at Jamaica College yesterday. JC won the game 4-1.
Daraine Luton, Freelance Writer
DEFENDING CHAMPIONS Excelsior were sent packing 4-1 by home team Jamaica College as action continued in the ISSA/Pepsi /JN Manning Cup yesterday.
Kemmer Daley, who ended with a brace, started the onslaught, scoring a fifth-minute penalty after he was bundled over in the box by Davion McKoy.
Daley added a second in the 58th minute, but not before Kemal Beckford got his name on the scoresheet with a sweet header in the 40th minute. Colin Gallimore scored Jamaica College's fourth in the 75th minute.
Excelsior's goal, which was from the boot of Keron Johnson, came on the stroke of halftime after goalkeeper Geovanni Graham gave up a rebound which Johnson pounced on and hit high into the roof.
Despite conceding just before the halftime whistle, Jamaica College went to the interval leading 2-1, but when they returned they found a resurgent Excelsior side. In fact, it was superb goalkeeping within the first 10 minutes of the restart that ensured their lead. Narado Brown, a prince of Excelsior's campaign last year, was denied by Graham from point-blank range after JC's defence failed to react to a Ricardo Scott cross into the box.
BRILLIANT SAVE
Jermaine Parris also forced a brilliant save from Graham after his 20-yard shot threatened to dip under the crossbar.
But Excelsior's stride was cut severely when the wily Daley finished off a brilliant counterattack which he started. Daley picked up the ball deep in his half and steamed goalwards, getting help from Ja-ir Gooden who obliged the give and go, allowing Daley to make it 3-1.
And to add the final nail to the coffin, substitute Gallimore got mud on the seat of his shorts as he finished off a Daley cross to bury the team they drew 2-2 with when the competition started in Montego Bay on September 10.
"It is certainly a good victory for us. The boys played to instructions and it paid dividend," said the winning coach, Alfred Henry.
Meanwhile, Excelsior's coach Leebert Halliman said the poor underfoot conditions coupled with his players been less experienced led to the defeat
"My players played well though. We created several chances so it could have been different. My defence played poorly though and that also cost us," Halliman said.
YESTERDAY'S RESULTS
Group A: Jamaica College 4 Excelsior 1.
Group B: Tarrant 1 Calabar 8, Vauxhall 0 Charlie Smith 10, Dunoon Ardenne - rain.
Group C: Norman Manley 3 Penwood 0, Clan Carthy 1 Campion 1, STATHS 9 Trench Town 0.
Group E: Eltham Kingston - rain, St. Jago 2 Holy Trinity 1, Meadowbrook 5 Bridgeport 3.
Glenmuir continue to roll on
WESTERN BUREAU:
THREE SCHOOLS, defending champions Glenmuir High, former winners St. Elizabeth Technical High (STETHS) and surprise team Denbigh High all scored wins yesterday to maintain their perfect start to the ISSA Pepsi/Jamaica National daCosta Cup competition.
Yesterday's packed schedule was affected by bad weather and several games were called off and will be rescheduled.
Playing without coach Patrick 'Jackie Walters, who was with the national senior team for its friendly international against Guatemala in Florida last night, Glenmuir were 'held' to a 2-0 win over Garvey Maceo in the Zone I top-of-the-table meeting at Brancourt.
Carnel Learmond scored one of the goals to increase his competition-leading tally to 12 as Glenmuir raced to six straight wins.
Denbigh also won number six on the trot as Hughan Grey netted twice in their 5-0 win over debutants Thompson Town and carried his goals tally to five on the season.
Jermaine Christian with his fourth and Nicholas DaCosta and Seamine McKenzie with their third each completed the scoring.
Renario Downswell got on the scoresheet for STETHS in their 5-0 romp over Balaclava in Santa Cruz as they won their fifth straight. Downswell took his goal tally to seven while Kemar Smith, Jermaine West, Dale Isaacs and Montrose Phinn also scored.
YESTERDAY'S RESULTS
Zone A: Cornwall 2 Maldon 1, Anchovy 3 Herbert Morrison 0, Irwin 1 St James 3, William Knibb 2 Muschett 0.
Zone B: Frome 4 Cambridge 0, Merlene Ottey 0 Grange Hill 2, Rusea's vs Knockalva - rain.
Zone C: Little London 1 Godfrey Stewart 3, Petersfield 0 Mannings 0.
Zone D: Ocho Rios 1 Cedric Titus 0, Brown's Town 5 Aabuthnott Gallimore 0.
Zone E: STETHS 5 Balaclava 0.
Zone G: Knox 0 Holmwood 2, Spalding 2 Porus 0.
Zone H: Thompson Town 0 Denbigh 5, Clarendon College 2 Edwin Allen 0.
Zone I: Garvey Maceo 0 Glenmuir 2, Kemps Hill vs Central - rain, Bustamante vs Vere - Bustamante failed to show.
Zone K: Iona 2 St Mary High 4, Tacky 0 Brimmervale 0, Islington 2 Annotto Bay 0.
Zone L (a): Titchfield vs Happy Grove - water-logged field, Fair Prospect 0 Port Antonio 3.
Zone L (b): Morant Bay vs Seaforth - rain, Robert Lightbourne vs St Thomas Technical - rain.
