Paul-Andre Walker, Staff Reporter

Waterford's Odain Martin falls heavily under the challenge of Kingston High's Temar Gordon during the teams' Pepsi/JN Manning Cup game at Tinson Pen yesterday. Martin opened the scoring in Waterford's 4-2 victory. Waterford's Ramon Willie and Kingston's Ricardo Roberts look on. - CARLINGTON WILMOT/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
KINGSTON HIGH suffered a woeful start to their return to the Manning Cup yesterday with a 4-2 loss to Waterford at the Tinson Pen playing field.
After three years outside of the Manning Cup, Kingston High were taught a lesson from the boots of Odain Martin (21st) Conrad White (34th) and Christopher Kidd (57th and 59th).
To Kingston's credit they came back from a goal down twice in the first half as Sodekee Fuller (28th) and Peter Morris (38th) put themselves on the scoresheet.
Both teams lacked basic technical aspects of the game that will make it tough for them in schoolboy football's showpiece event. However, what they lacked in skill they more than made up for in intensity and willingness.
Kingston never seemed like they understood how to play the game and Waterford were little better, with the exception of White, who showed pace, skill and good touch whenever he got involved in the game.
However, Waterford's goals were good ones and showed the kind of potential that could surprise bigger teams if they are taken too lightly.
Their second goal was a peach as White picked up a ball midway in his opponent's half and drove towards the goal with a type of determination that could only end with a goal.
He obliged in magnificent fashion with a perfect strike into the roof of the net, deflating the young Kingston High team.
While Kingston didn't defend well and should have been worse off at the end, they didn't attack with any purpose either and so it was a surprise that they got on to the scoresheet in the first half to make a game of it.
At the end of the match, Kingston coach Steven Bailey chalked up his team's loss to nerves.
"I guess it's because this is the first game after three years outside of the Manning Cup and this is the first time that they are playing together that caused the nervousness," said Bailey .
Winning coach Everton James was hard on his youngsters for the way they played.
"I considered this game very poor, even though we scored four goals. There are a lot of things that we need to iron out but fortunately for us we don't have to face what I would consider a big team just yet," said James.