SUBSTITUTE Rohnako Allen scored a 90th-minute goal to hand Hydel High joint pole position in Group H of the ISSA/LIME Manning Cup competition following their 1-0 defeat of 10-man Charlie Smith High at the Constant Spring field, yesterday. In the other Group H second-round match, Jamaica College, through Junior Flemmings’ headed strike, also defeated Kingston College 1-0 in the feature match at the venue. In the early kick-off, Hydel’s coach Geoffrey Maxwell said a more positive approach in the second half reaped dividends.

“The aim was to play defensive and counter-attacked against Charlie Smith, because they have players who can damage us. It didn’t work the way we hoped, so in the second half we played more offensively and looked for a win, and it came out okay,” Maxwell said. His opposite number, Jerome Waite, said “inexperience” undermined his Charlie Smith team after they failed to put away “numerous chances”.

While Hydel, last season’s losing finalists, employed counter-attacking tactics in the opening half, the former champions Charlie Smith held the upper hand in ball possession. Waite’s team also created the better openings and even hit the woodwork moments before the break.

The pace picked up in the second half as Hydel became more ambitious, but at the opposite end, substitute Chevaun Crooks almost stole the lead for Charlie Smith, who are semifinalists in the Walker Cup Knockout. However, after a mazy dribble into the 18-yard-box midway the half, he booted into the side netting.

At the other end, Allen also could have given Hydel the lead, however he blasted onto the crossbar after pouncing on a failed clearance inside the six-yard box with approximately five minutes remaining. A minute later ‘Charlie’ went down to 10 players when Chevaughn Edwards was red-carded for striking an opponent. On the stroke of the 90th minute, Allen made amends for the earlier miss with a calm left-footed finish beneath Charlie Smith’s custodian Leon Taylor. Jamaica College, courtesy of Flemmings’ second-half header, pulled off a deserved 1-0 victory over prominent rivals Kingston College.

Flemmings goal came in the 60th minute The three points put Jamaica College level with Hydel High. After watching his team squander several chances in a 0-2 Walker Cup defeat to Excelsior High on Tuesday, coach Miguel Coley must have been a relieved man when Flemmings finally got on the scoresheet following another day filled with a series of missed opportunities. “It was a game of gutsy because of the rivalry between KC and JC. We are still missing chances, but we are working on it, and I’m pleased with the win,” Coley said.

Kingston College’s coach Donavan Hayles said he was “disappointed with the result”, but “pleased with the players and the effort” they gave in the loss. In the feature match, the two sets of drum-beating supporters helped to heighten the atmosphere, but unfortunately for the football purists, the first-half play from both teams lacked the bubbly vibe of the pounding music in the stands. Kingston College’s Kashane Jones made his team’s intent clear early in the game when he turned and shot from the edge of the box. But JC’s goalkeeper Sherrick Davis, starting ahead of Courtney Dowdie, who had a poor showing in the Walker Cup loss, parried competently over the crossbar. Jamaica College’s Ramone Howell headed over the bar from a corner later in the half before Flemmings, the national youth player, hit the near upright from close range after being put through on goal.

JC, who had two efforts disallowed for offside infractions, had another chance just before the hour mark, but Flemmings’ shot was deflected wide for a corner kick by ‘keeper Akim Larmond.

From the resulting corner taken by Kevin Blackwood, the industrious Flemmings nodded downward into the net to seal the win. The competition continues today with a pair of games in Group I at the Spanish Town Prison Oval. At 1:00 pm, Excelsior High battle Denham Town High, while at 3:00 pm Innswood meet Ascot High.