EXCELSIOR outshone 10-man Innswood 5-0 on a wet Constant Spring surface in the opening game of a Group I double-header yesterday to be one point away from reaching the semi-finals of the 2013 ISSA/LIME Manning Cup football competition.

In the feature game, Denham Town were 4-1 winners over Ascot.

Excelsior, by winning their second match in the group, only need a draw in their next game to advance to the semi-finals. However, with three quality teams in Wolmer’s, St George’s College and Jamaica College to face in the semis, coach Leebert Halliman thinks for Excelsior it would be an “uphill task”. “We will have to show tremendous improvement for us to have a shot at the title.

“It is a welcome feeling to win 5-0 this afternoon, but a number of the goals scored might not have scored against a better team. So to make success possible against these three quality teams we will have to think positive and work hard,” the

former Manning Cup-winning

coach predicted.

Playing without the level of commitment required for better quality teams, Excelsior failed to make efficient use of the chances created in the first half, though they still managed to lead by a single goal at the break, courtesy of Tevin Jackson in minute 24.

Apparently reminded of the importance that the fixture at hand holds, the leaders of Group I returned from the short respite better co-ordinated and scored four times during the first 27 minutes to show their superiority.

Four minutes after the resumption Colorado Murray made it 2-0 and recorded a double in the 71st minute. Earlier Samuel Halliman made it 3-0 in the 64th minute and Kareem Banton made it a handful with 22 minutes of regulation time remaining. To add to Innswood’s woes, defender Oshane Edwards was red-carded for his second bookable offence.

Despite going down to 10 players Excelsior failed to take advantage, as they seemed contented with their 5-0 lead, even though creating a number of good scoring chances.