Green Pond's Michael McLeod (foreground) shows composure as he holds off a challenge from a Herbert Morrison defender in yesterday's ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel daCosta Cup schoolboy football game. The game ended in a 2-2 draw. - photo by Adrian Frater

Western Bureau:

Two-time champions, Herbert Morrison Technical High School, yesterday survived an early scare, but rallied from two goals down to secure a hard-fought 2-2 draw with Green Pond in their Zone A ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel daCosta Cup fixture at Bogue in Montego Bay.

"We played well in the first half but our game broke down in the second half," said Green Pond's coach Dane Randall. "I am confident that we will get better as the season progresses."

After a somewhat tentative start, the Green Pond team took the lead in a most unbelievable way in the fourth minute. A long-range shot by Ricardo Maxwell went straight to the Herbert Morrison custodian, Shevario Burke, and in a most comical fashion, he allowed the ball to roll behind him into the goal, making the score 1-0.

With Herbert Morrison looking shaky and unsure, Green Pond doubled their lead in the 24th minute. Ricardo Ellis broke down the right flank and with the Herbert Morrison goalkeeper advancing, he calmly lobbed the ball into the roof of the net, making the score 2-0.

With time running out in the half, Herbert Morrison finally came good in the 40th minute and pulled back a goal with a quality strike. In a goalmouth melee, an alert Cedrick Walker pounced on a bouncing ball and directed his header wide of the Green Pond goalkeeper, making the half-time score 2-1.

Down into second-half action, Herbert Morrison took control and had Green Pond on the run for long periods. With the momentum in their favour, Herbert Morrison finally drew level in the 72nd when Jason Maxwell pounced on a rebound just outside the goal area and fired in powerfully off a defender, making the final score 2-2.

Today's games

Zone L (A): Titchfield vs Buff Bay at Carder Park, Happy Grove vs Port Antonio at Happy Grove

Zone L (B): Seaforth vs Morant Bay at York Oval, Yallahs vs St Thomas at Phillips Oval

Yesterday's results

Zone A: Herbert Morrison 2 Green Pond 2

Zone D: William Knibb 3 Brown's Town 2, Marcus Garvey 2 York Castle 1, Ocho Rios 1 A Gallimore 1

Zone J: Bog Walk 2 Charlemont 0, Dinthill 2 Glencoffe 2, Ewarton 2 McGrath 1