Tivoli Gardens' Kevin Reid (right) tries to volley the ball over the head of Tarrant's goalkeeper, Bradley Morris (on the ground left), while Tarrant defenders look on in their ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel Manning Cup match at Jacisera Park yesterday. Tivoli Gardens won 5-0. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

TIVOLI GARDENS, led by a hat-trick from Clifton Francis, cruised to a 5-0 victory over bottom-place Tarrant in their Inter-Secondary Schools Association/Pepsi/ Digicel Manning Cup Group A game at Jacisera Park yesterday.

In the day's other game, Calabar, led by a brace from Richard Edite, defeated St Mary College 4-0 in Group B. Marlon Thompson and Richard Lewis were the other scorers for Calabar.

Alrick Clarke, coach of Calabar, said he was pleased with his team's effort.

"I am very satisfied with our performance because we didn't want to overwork our players knowing that we have two crucial matches coming up next week," said Clarke, who formerly coached Norman Manley.

Tivoli Gardens, who last won the competition in 1999, took the lead in the sixth minute when Andre Fearon outsprinted two defenders then calmly slotted the ball home to the right of goalkeeper Bradley Morris, who was advancing out of his goal.

André Aiken then doubled his team's lead in the 33rd minute from the penalty spot after Francis was brought down inside the area by Morris.

Francis scored his team's third goal six minutes later when he fired home a powerful long-range shot which went like a rocket past Morris.

Close-range header

Francis added the fourth in the 82nd with a powerful close-range header past Morris. He completed his hat-trick in the 89th minute from the penalty spot.

Despite his team's commanding victory, Dave Clarke, coach of Tivoli Gardens, said he wasn't pleased with its performance.

"I am definitely not satisfied with a performance like this even though we were able to get the three points," said Clarke.

"I have been thinking about the next round and I am not seeing any sort of improvement coming from our players because they are not thinking the game," Clarke said.

André Rose, coach of Tarrant, said: "I think it was a well-played game because we had a very tough loss to Charlie Smith in our last game. "I think that my team really put up a good fight despite our loss and one must also remember that this team is one of the youngest in this competition," he said.

- Robert Bailey

YESTERDAY'S RESULTS

Group A: Tivoli 5 Tarrant 0.Group B: Calabar 4 St. Mary 0.

TODAY'S GAMES

Group C: Mona vs Denham Town, Jonathan Grant vs Jamaica College, Vauxhall vs Wolmer's.Group D: Cumberland vs Bridgeport, Innswood vs Eltham, St Jago vs José Martin.Group F: Edith Dalton-James vs Kingston College, Penwood vs STATHS, Kingston High vs St Catherine.