Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter
IT'S DOWN to the wire for several teams which will contest today's ISSA/Pepsi/JN Manning Cup Group F, E and A games that could decide which sides advance and which will miss the boat sailing to the second round.
At the top of the list will be the Group E encounter between Eltham High and Bridgeport High at Eltham. This game will be played under the watchful eyes of Kingston College sitting on 20 points, but with a decision still pending with the St. Jago versus Eltham encounter for which St. Jago failed to show, any result except a loss for Eltham would see the Purples' season come to an end.
Despite insinuations of a St. Catherine conspiracy, Bridgeport coach Anthony Patrick insists that he will play a full-strength team.
TAKING NO CHANCES
"We can't take any chances, we still have a point to go before we are safely in first place and we want to top the zone," Patrick said.
However, he sympathises with KC coach Trevor Harris in terms of the St. Jago situation.
"It must feel really bad for a team to not show up for such a crucial fixture and you don't want to lose off the field," he said.
"But it is always good to avoid such a situation in the first place."
If the decision of the St. Jago game goes their way, a win for Eltham could see them top the zone ahead of Bridgeport (21) with 23 points.
In Group F, unbeaten Wolmer's are already through to the second round. But the battle is on for second and Spanish Town and St. Catherine determined to advance.
A loss to Wolmer's at home for St. Catherine today and a likely win for Spanish Town against the winless Innswood would put them two points behind their rivals but still with a game in hand.
Mona must look to win against a defensively stingy Kingston Technical team to keep defending champions Excelsior at bay in Group A. Mona (10) now ahead by a single point must win their final game and hope that Excelsior (nine) drop one of their two remaining games.
In Group D action yesterday, Waterford were able to hold a less than full strength Tivoli team to a 1-1 draw at home. With both teams already through to the second leg there proved to be little to play for.
The bustling Odane Martin scored the go-ahead goal for Waterford in the 76th minute and Leonard Davis brought things level for the visitors on the stroke of full time.
YESTERDAY'S RESULTS
Group D:
Waterford 1 Tivoli 1
TODAY'S GAMES
Innswood High vs Spanish Town
St Catherine High vs Wolmer's
Kingston Technical vs Mona
Eltham High vs Bridgeport High
