Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter
Bridgeport's Odane Edwards tackles Tivoli Gardens' Ricardo Stern during their ISSA/Pepsi/JN Manning Cup match at the Constant Spring playing field yesterday. Bridgeport won 3-0. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
NORMAN MANLEY High became the first team to qualify for the 2005 ISSA/Pepsi/JN Manning Cup semi-finals following a 2-1 victory over Charlie Smith at the Constant Spring Complex yesterday.
Once again it was the sensational form of striker and captain André Fagon which proved to be the difference for them. A loosely marked Fagon etched his name on the scoresheet in the 12th minute.
This was just one minute after Charlie Smith had been gifted a goal at the other end. Norman Manley keeper Shawn Malcolm played 'keep-up' by juggling a ball played back to him by his centre half, before it rolled off his foot into the path of Michael Russell who needed no second invitation to score.
Fagon then put the game away for his team with his third goal in two games, when he skipped a challenge from his defender at the edge of the 18-yard box, going on to roll the ball to the right of a fully-stretched Brown.
Manley coach Alrick Clarke said: "Today we didn't play all that well but a victory is a victory and we're very happy to be in the semi-finals.
"We started out late but now we have achieved what we set out to do and we will be moving, the guys have played with discipline and intelligently and that is why we are here," he said.
For Walker Cup champions Tivoli Gardens, it was the end of the road as they fell 3-0 to an already eliminated Bridgeport. Bridgeport, who showed up at the game with exactly 11 players, most of them not regular starters, snatched the game away from schoolboy football knockout champions with three minutes left.
GOALKEEPER GIVEN MARCHING ORDERS
Two red cards issued to Tivoli players by referee Howard Stennet could have had a telling influence on the outcome. Goalkeeper Horatio Nelson was given his marching orders in the 22nd minute, when he rushed out of goal and prevented the attacking player from going by without getting any of the ball.
It would be a strange incident which would lead to Tivoli's second yellow card. Seconds after the whistle had blown for the half Tivoli's Shavar Brown threw the ball back towards a Bridgeport opponent who dived on contact with the ball. Brown was promptly sent off.
Theo Brown opened the scoring for Bridgeport in the 87th minute, while Rodeen Bennett and Theophelus Samuels added 89th and 90th-minute goals.
Tivoli coach Dave Clarke, while commending Norman Manley, believed that haphazard scheduling by ISSA had played a role in his team's early exit.
"We have lost two games for the season and both were brought forward. It was originally scheduled for next Tuesday and I was only told it was moved this afternoon," he complained.
"The same thing happened with the Norman Manley game and I'm not making excuses, but you plan your training based on the fixtures," he said.
