Adrian Frater, News Editor

An overlapping St. James High School defender, Andrew Brown (right), cracks a shot goalwards as Maldon's Shane Shaw (left) is late on the tackle during yesterday's daCosta Cup game between the schools in Montego Bay. St. James won 4-1. - photo by adrian frater

WESTERN BUREAU:

Zone A of the 2006 ISSA/Pepsi/JN daCosta Cup was thrown wide open yesterday when St. James High scored a big come-from-behind 4-1 victory over Maldon and William Knibb handed Cornwall College a 2-1 defeat.

Those results leave the zone precariously placed with only three points separating the five teams. With the first-round fixture now completed, the current point standings read: Herbert Morrison - seven, William Knibb - seven, Maldon - six, Cornwall College - four and St. James - four.

Frome remain unbeaten

In other top games in western Jamaica, Frome extended their impressive unbeaten run in Zone B to four games when they blanked Anchovy 2-0 to move five points clear of second-placed Rusea's (seven), who were inactive yesterday.

Grange Hill took over sole leadership of Zone C, handing Petersfield a 2-0 defeat to take them to top the group with 10 points - three more than Petersfield.

Champions Godfrey Stewart, who had been having a tough time since their season opening 1-0 win against Mannings, return to winning ways, clipping Maud McLeod 2-1 in their Zone C game.

The champions are now on seven points, which puts them in joint second place with Petersfield.

In the game between St. James High and Maldon at Jarrett Park, the fans were treated to an exhilarating contest as after Maldon took an 11th minute lead when Carlton Walker capitalised on a defensive error and fired home to make the score 1-0, they were subsequently treated to a football lesson by the St. James High team.

With Maldon under constant pressure, St. James High drew level in the 27th minute. Andre Bernard, who got two goals in the game, split the defence with a deft dribble and fired home a cracking grounder, which made the halftime score 1-1.

All St James

In the second half it was all St. James as they kept peppering the Maldon defence. They were justly rewarded in the 58th minute when Bernard again breached the Maldon defence and drilled in a shot from close range to give his team a 2-1 lead.

With Maldon all but surrendering, St. James effectively ended the contest with back-to-back goals in the 68th and 74th minutes.

Firstly, Nicholas Barnes pounced on a rebound 25 metres from goal and fired home gracefully, making the score 3-1 and then substitute Mario Campbell closed the show with a touch of brilliance, curling a fabulous left-footer from 30 metres.

YESTERDAY'S RESULTS

Zone A: St. James 4 Maldon 1, William Knibb 2 Cornwall College 1. Zone B: Frome 2 Anchovy 0. Zone C: Godfrey Stewart 2 Maud McLeod 0, Grange Hill 2 Petersfield 0. Zone E: Munro 6 Maggotty 0, STETHS 0 Black River 0-0. Zone I: Garvey Maceo 2 Kemps Hill 0, Glenmuir 4 Central 1. Zone J: Dinthill 0 Glengoffe 0.