Western Bureau:

Champions St James High rejoined Cornwall College atop the standings in Zone A of the 2009 ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel daCosta Cup schoolboy football competition yesterday afternoon, when they scored a hard-fought 1-0 win against a resolute Spot Valley High, in their second-round fixture at Spot Valley.

The St James team, which had a 4-0 win against Spot Valley on the competition's opening day, secured victory courtesy of a second-half strike by Roshane Reid.

St James have now moved up to 18 points, the same as Cornwall College. However, Cornwall College have played six games to St James' seven.

"We did not play as well as we could but we are nonetheless happy for the three points," said Pastor Hugh Solomon, coach of the St James High team. "We will be heading back to the drawing board to put a few things right."

In Zone D, William Knibb High School ended Marcus Garvey Technical's unbeaten run when they avenged their first round 1-2 loss with a 2-1 win of their own, on their home turf at Martha Brae.

Donito Lawrence and Jurdine Jordan were the players on target for William Knibb, which have now joined Marcus Garvey atop the group standings with 16 points.

Cedric Titus strengthened their chances in the group when they moved within two points of William Knibb and Marcus Garvey, with a 1-0 win against Ocho Rios, which lifted their points tally to 14.

Exciting clashes

The competition will resume this afternoon at 3:30 with a series of intriguing games, as the competing teams continue their quest for the top two slots from each zone, which will put them in line for both the Ben Francis Knockout and inter-zone round.

Among the top games should be the Zone E clash between leaders Balaclava High School (14) and former champions St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS), who are joint second with Munro College on 13 points. In their first round game, the teams battled to a 0-0 draw.

Today's Games

Zone B: Anchovy vs Frome Technical at Nature Village Farm.

Zone C: Godfrey Stewart vs Grange Hill at Godfrey Stewart, Little London vs Petersfield at Little London.

Zone E: Balaclava vs STETHS at Balaclava, Newell vs Lacovia at Newell, Munro vs Black River at Munro.

Zone F: Manchester vs Cross Keys at Manchester, May Day vs deCarteret at May Day, Belair vs Bellefield at Belair.

Zone G: Edwin Allen vs Knox at Edwin Allen, Porus vs Christiana at Porus, Holmwood vs Spalding at Holmwood.

Zone H: Denbigh vs Claude McKay at Denbigh, Clarendon College vs Lennon at Chapleton.

Zone I: Central vs Garvey Maceo at Central, Glenmuir vs Tacius Golding at Glenmuir, Kemps Hill vs Old Harbour at Kemps Hill.

Yesterday's Results

Zone A: St James High 1 Spot Valley 0, Green Pond vs Herbert Morrison (was not played).

Zone D: Cedric Titus 1 Ocho Rios 0, William Knibb 2 Marcus Garvey 1.

Zone J: Dinthill 3 Glengoffe 2, McGrath 0 Ewarton 0.

Zone K: Annotto Bay 2 St Mary Tech 0, Brimmervale 1 Oracabessa 0.

Zone L (a): Fair Prospect 1 Titchfield 1, Port Antonio 2 Buff Bay 2.

Zone L (b): Morant Bay 1 Paul Bogle 1, Seaforth 3 Yallahs 0.