Adrian Frater, News Editor

WESTERN BUREAU:

MUNRO COLLEGE widened their lead atop the standings in Zone E of the ISSA/Pepsi /Digicel daCosta Cup yesterday when they started their second round campaign with a 1-0 win over arch-rivals St. Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) in Santa Cruz.

Munro, who won the first-leg encounter 3-0, confirmed their superiority over STETHS courtesy of a first-half strike by Moses Watson, who had a very good game in attack for his team.

"Having won the first-leg game, we came into this match knowing we had the psychological edge and pretty much expected to win," said Munro's coach, Hopeton Gilchrist, whose team is now on 16 points - four more than STETHS.

margain of victory

"Although we would have been happier with a bigger margin of victory, the important thing is that we got the maximum three points," said Gilchrist. "Our plan is to keep focussed and get the job done because our ultimate aim is to win the daCosta Cup."

While Munro were stamping their class in Santa Cruz, former champions Cornwall College, joint Zone A leaders with St. James High on 12 points, were having a disastrous afternoon in Falmouth, losing their 100 per cent win record in going down 2-1 to bottom-placed William Knibb, who garnered their first points of the season. "The work rate of the players was of a very high standard and it made quite a difference today," said Cassman Williams, coach of the William Knibb team. "Besides, it was about time that we gave our fans something to cheer about."

While Cornwall College were stumbling, Rusea's were making up important ground in Zone B as they moved within three points of group leaders Frome Technical (15) with a big 4-0 win over Merlene Ottey, which lifted them to 12 points. The game between Frome and Cambridge was blown off after 15 minutes because of heavy rain.

In Rusea's victory, Andre Atkinson (two), Roydell Moncrieffe and Damian Thompson (penalty) were the goalscorers.

"It wasn't a vintage Rusea's performance today, but we did what we had to do," said Rusea's assistant coach Anthony 'Follies' Williams. "We could have won by a wider margin as we also missed a penalty."

Zone A: William Knibb 2 Cornwall 1, Herbert Morrison vs Anchovy - rained out, St. James vs Irwin - rained out.

Zone B: Cambridge vs Frome - rained out, Rusea's 4 Merlene Ottey 0.

Zone C: Mannings 1 Godfrey Stewart 4.

Zone E: STETHS 0 Munro 1.

Zone H: Vere 0 Lennon 1, Kellits 1 Denbigh 7.

YESTERDAY'S RESULTS