SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth — It was a football clinic as Manning Cup champions Jamaica College (JC) defeated daCosta Cup kingpins St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) 3-0 in the first leg of the all-island schoolboy ISSA/IME Olivier Shield at STETHS yesterday.

The magnificent Raffique Bryan scored in the 10th and 45th minutes and turned provider in the 90th as Ramone Howell finished off a lovely combination to leave JC with all the cards and STETHS with scant hope for Saturday’s return leg in Kingston.

Not many in the capacity crowd would have remembered, but JC’s victory matched another 3-0 Olivier Shield triumph over STETHS at Santa Cruz back in 1974. Back then, a high class JC team had won the first leg in Kingston 1-0 for a 4-0 aggregate win.

Despite the margin of victory yesterday, JC coach Miguel Coley wasn’t counting his chickens at game’s end.

“We have one leg in the bag, but we still have another game on Saturday so we have to prepare for that,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

He credited his team for showing good teamwork and composure to outmanoeuvre the all-rural champions in all departments.

“We passed the ball around really well,” he said.

STETHS coach Omar Wedderburn sought to put on a brave face, insisting that “we still have 90 minutes to play and we intend to give it our best shot”.

On a hot, sunny afternoon in good under-foot conditions, JC rock solid in defence and stylish and pacy in attack, looked easily the better side in the first half of a high-standard game.

STETHS electing to dribble at defenders in the second half came more into their own in that period, but still found the JC defence tough to penetrate.

For the opening goal, David Simmons picture-perfect diagonal cross from wide on the right found the big, strong Bryan in an inside left position. The latter outjumped the STETHS defence, and his looping header nestled in the far corner with the vertically challenged STETHS goalkeeper Enrique Rochester off his line and well beaten.

A fascinating midfield tussle ensured, with only limited goal-mouth action, but JC seemed the more potent up front, while the dangerous STETHS attacking duo of Khesanio Hall and Jovan James found themselves with little or no room.

A patient and superbly orchestrated attack out of defence and down the left flank resulted in the second goal. Sheldon McKay capped the movement with a shot from the left, which Rochester could only parry into the path of Bryan who casually tapped home.

STETHS lived up to their reputation as a strong second-half team, rallying strongly with Keano Williams, Donjay Smith and Tevin Blake running at defenders. But the JC defence stood firm.

Arguably the best chance for STETHS came midway the second half, Hall’s header from just inside the penalty box going just over the bar, while Smith’s right-footed powerhouse from distance went just wide.

But JC also came close, the skilful substitute Melique Foster dribbling past defenders before the STETHS defence somehow cleared their lines.

With STETHS and their massive home support resigned to defeat, JC capped a dominant afternoon with another one-touch combination down the left. It ended with Bryan rounding the advancing goalkeeper and crossing to Howell who spectacularly headed home.