JC make it five in a row
DEFENDING champions Jamaica College continued their unbeaten run in Group G of the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/LIME Manning Cup when they got by host Jonathan Grant 2-1 yesterday.
The win pushed Jamaica College to 15 points from five games, nine ahead of St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS), who slumped to a surprise 0-1 defeat to Kingston Technical.
Ronaldo Brown gave the visitors the lead when he greeted a cross from captain Junior Flemmings, who showed good ball-handling skills to get around a defender. The Old Hope Road-based boys came close to doubling the score in the 35th minute when Raffique Bryan’s free kick bounced off the crossbar.
The second half was evenly contested as both teams pressed on the accelerator. But it was Jamaica College who went further ahead when Bryan’s free kick was played across by Brown to Akeem Shackleford, who slotted home in the 58th minute to make it 2-0.
Jonathan Grant pulled one back from the penalty spot through Jeovanne Shorter after Zeron Sewell handled the ball inside the area. Both teams created numerous goalscoring opportunities, but a lack of composure saw them failing to capitalise.
Winning coach Miguel Coley thought their opponents came with more fight as opposed to their first encounter when they won 5-0.
“I think we weren’t as composed as we were in the first game…congrats to Jonathan Grant, they really pressed us. We could have been more composed…knocked around the ball some more, I think we were doing too much running football rather than passing,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Oniel Thomas, coach of Jonathan Grant, thought his team gave a spirited performance despite the loss.
“I think the guys rose to the occasion. We were planning to see how best we could win the game, or even get a point from it, but all in all I see the guys came out with a fighting spirit that we didn’t see in the first game,” he revealed.
The competition continues today with the lone game being the Group B rescheduled fixture between Excelsior High and Cumberland High at the Mountain View-based school.
