Jermaine Lannaman, Gleaner Writer

Calabar's Ricardo Lattibeaudiere (right) shields the ball away from Excelsior's Jhavionne Howard in the final of the ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel Walker Cup at the Constant Spring Complex. Both teams renew rivalry in the feature match of today's double-header at Constant Spring. - Peta-Gaye Clachar/Staff Photographer

Urban area double hopefuls, Calabar High and Excelsior High, will again meet today in the second round of the ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel Manning Cup schoolboy football competition, at the Constant Spring Complex, beginning at 3 p.m.

The two, who a week and a half ago were engaged in a thrilling Walker Cup knockout final showdown which ended prematurely due to bad light, will play the second match of a double-header at the venue.

St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS), who are hoping to rekindle memories of the 1987 championship run, and Tivoli Gardens, who last won the title a decade ago, are down to face each other in the 1 p.m. opener.

All four teams in the group (Group Three) are in with a shot at a place in the semi-finals after playing to draws in the first set of matches. Only the group winner is guaranteed a place in the final four. The best second-place team of all three groups will join the group winners in the semis.

In the clash at 1 p.m., STATHS, who were steady in the preliminaries, brought their 'A' game against an organised and disciplined Excelsior and were unlucky not to have stolen a victory. Come today, they will want to repeat that effort against a Tivoli Gardens team which surprised many in holding Calabar to a 1-1 draw in their first encounter.

STATHS, whose team comprises mostly of the members of KSAFA's Cooreville Gardens successful Under-17 unit, including coach Keith Nichol, will be looking towards Odane Slater and Kimo Grant for further inspiration.

Tivoli, who narrowly got the better Charlie Smith to advance to this round, will hope that long-serving coach Dave Clarke can deliver the tactics needed to pull off another enterprising result.

Ding-dong battle

In the feature, spectators should once again be treated to a ding-dong battle between two of the competition's most consistent teams.

In the Walker Cup final Excelsior, under the tactical supervision of Leebert Halliman, suppressed most of Calabar's better ball players and almost got the result they wanted.

However, under the tutelage of hard-nosed coach, Alrick Clarke, who is in his first season at Red Hills Road, would have none of it and today, should both teams continue to play to their strengths, spectators could be in for a treat as three points would go a long way for either team achieving the coveted double.v