- ANDREW SMITH/PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
St. Andrew Technical High School's (STATHS) Renaldo Daley and a Wolmer's opponent tussle for possession of the ball during their Manning Cup second-round game at Constant Spring playing field yesterday. Wolmer's won 1-0.
Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer
WOLMER'S AND Jamaica College (JC) placed themselves in line for the 2005 ISSA/Pepsi/JN Manning Cup semi-finals with important victories yesterday over St. Andrew Technical (STATHS) and Waterford, respectively.
In the day's opener at the Constant Spring playing field, Wolmer's defeated St. Andrew Technical (STATHS) 1-0, while JC edged Waterford 2-1.
LITTLE OPPORTUNITIES
Apart from Wolmer's Kenroy McKay's deflected shot on 43 minutes from 18 yards, which separated the teams at the break, the day's curtain-raiser produced little if any clear scoring opportunities in the opening stanza.
Both teams looked a little more purposeful in the second half and, although more chances were created, the half was spoiled by poor finishing.
The game's easiest chance came on 70 minutes when a good cross from the right picked out the head of Michael Francis who was unmarked inside the box, but he headed high instead of down into an empty net.
Earlier, STATHS' Renaldo Daley also went close to scoring, but again he too messed things up by moving too slowly, thus allowing Wolmer's goalkeeper Steven Samms to win a pass made accurately for him.
NOT SCORING
Wolmer's too had their chances, but Shane Spraggy must be kicking himself for not scoring his team's second goal.
Spraggy was sent clear of all defenders and with only keeper Diego Haughton to beat, plus a clear passing option in Kurt Thomas to his right, he kicked wide of the advancing keeper.
Winning coach Vassell Reynolds said his team did not play up to expectations but he welcomed the win.
"I think we made it a little more difficult for ourselves ... I think we had control of the game as early as the first 30 minutes, but we kept giving away possession of the ball," Reynolds said. "But, overall, I don't think it was a bad performance for my team."
BLAME
His opposite number, Keith Nichols, blamed his team's defeat on the forwards.
"Goals win matches and I keep on telling them that if we don't score, we can't win," Nichols said. "It's just unfortunate for the other players who are putting out the extra work, especially the defenders, goalkeeper and mid-fielders."
YESTERDAY'S RESULTS
|JC 2 Waterford 1
Wolmer's 1 STATHS 0
