XLCR, STATHS win - JamaicaObserver.com

Saturday, November 21, 2009 6:36 AM

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XLCR, STATHS win

BY LIVINGSTON SCOTT Observer staff reporter

Saturday, November 07, 2009

St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) and Excelsior High (XLCR) scored identical 2-0 victories over Tivoli Gardens and Kingston College respectively, in their Group Three ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel Manning Cup second-round matches at Constant Spring Complex yesterday.

Andrew Christie (73rd minute) and Jermaine Reid (85th) netted second-half goals to give St Andrew Technical their win against Tivoli Gardens, while Nico Brett (32nd & 79th) scored a goal in each half for Excelsior to defeat Kingston College.

Excelsior's goalscorer, Nico Brett (left), evades a sliding tackle on a water-logged surface from Kingston College's Rashane Garcia during their Group Three second-round ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel Manning Cup match at the Constant Spring Complex yesterday. Excelsior won 2-0. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

Both victors are now tied on three points with the same goal difference and Wednesday's match-up between them will decide who go atop of the group.

The opening game lacked spark, though St Andrew had a couple of chances that they could have made better use of.

However, it was not until the rain came 15 minutes into the second-half did St Andrew start playing with purpose and their efforts paid off in the 73rd minute when Christie, who appeared offside, ran through to score on Donald Hamilton in goal in the Tivoli goal.

Twelve minutes later they added another, when Christie was cut down inside the box by Hamilton, who was shown the red card.

Reid converted the penalty to give the Keith Nichols-coached side a winning start.

St Andrew Technical's goalscorer, Andrew Christie (left) and Tivoli's Anthawe Kerr-Lynch, battle for possession during their Group Three second round ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel Manning Cup match at the Constant Spring Complex yesterday. St Andrew Technical won 2-0. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

"We got some chances in the first-half that we should have put away, so I was getting a bit worried, but the boys stuck to the task and got the win," Nichols said.

In the second game, Kingston College started brightly, but it was Excelsior who took the lead just past the half-hour mark when Brett scored.

The striker did well to hold off the challenge of defender, Rasheed Malcom, before gently slipping the ball past the advancing Marc-Anthony Harvey in the opposing goal.

In the second-half, Excelsior stepped up the pace, but the real turning point in the game came with the introduction of Jason Hussey at left-midfield who immediately imposed himself on proceedings for the Mountain View Avenue-based school.

Just a few minutes after coming in, Hussey had a rasping effort on goal missing the target marginally.

With 11 minutes to go, Benjamin failed to get onto the end of a pass by Hussey, but the ball was kept alive by Lynden Reid, who relayed a pass for Brett who fired home from 12 yards.

Excelsior coach Halliman commended his players for their application under the wet conditions.

"This is the first step and the next step is against St Andrew Technical, who I think is the best team in the group," he said.

Kingston College coach Wayne Fairclough noted that although the heavy conditions adversely affected his team, they got their fair number of chances to score.

"We are not out as yet, we have two more games to play and hopefully we can cop those and go to the semi-finals," he said.

The competition continues this afternoon with two more games at the same venue.

At 1:00 pm, Calabar meet Wolmer's Boys, while Walker Cup finalists St George's College and Jamaica College renew their rivalry at 3:00 pm.

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