A nervous Kingston College (KC) squeezed past Campion College 1-0 in a rescheduled match and limped into the ISSA/LIME Manning Cup second round yesterday.

After missing a series of easy goalscoring opportunities, goals by Jerome Coombs and Jerome Lodge in the 30th and 74th minutes, respectively, gave KC a two-goal cushion.

But a late header in the 89th minute by Lorne Barrett set up a tense and nervous final few minutes for the famed ‘Purples’ as a draw would have been the end of their Manning Cup campaign.

KC became the last qualifier after finishing second in Group A with 15 points, two ahead of Waterford High and six points behind St George’s College on 21 points.

On Monday, KC sacked head coach Lenworth Hyde Snr then crashed to a 2-4 defeat on Tuesday to Waterford to set up this must-win scenario against a weak Campion College aggregation.

But despite outplaying their hosts at Hope Road, KC made life difficult for themselves by missing some of the easiest chances. In fact, they could have won by at least seven clear goals.

Knowing a draw wouldn’t be enough to advance, Jerome Coombs broke loose and fired KC into a 30th-minute lead to ease some nerves going into the break.

Although Campion College offered little in attack, they were posing problems for KC from set plays and an equaliser loomed, as the KC faithful became nervous.

In minute 74, Lodge latched onto a through ball to beat the advancing goalkeeper Christopher Lynch to make it 2-0.

Campion College were not giving up and in the 89th minute, Barrett headed home into an empty net from a corner kick after KC’s goalkeeper Trevaughn Brown left his line like a bullet and got nowhere near the ball.

With three minutes of time added on, KC held their nerves and secured a spot into the next round where they will be placed alongside Camperdown, Hydel High and either St Jago or Vauxhall.

Interim coach Neil Harrison said he was not nervous and was actually composed despite still not knowing the abilities of the players following his first training session with the team on Wednesday.

“We did not play badly, we created a number of goalscoring opportunities, but it gives me an idea of what area to really work on in the next round,” said Harrison.

“I am still learning about the players and I am not sure if the best combination is on the field. But I put an eleven on the field based on what I saw in training and they fought gallantly. It was some pressure for them based on the fact that they had to win to advance,” he noted.

But with the Walker Cup to be played with KC not participating, Harrison believes it’s a welcome thing for him to work and know the players a little better for the start of the second round.

“On Monday when I was called we just had a meeting with the team and they said, ‘coach we not comfortable playing 4-3-3. You are now the coach of the team and we are begging you, we are not comfortable playing 4-3-3’ and I said OK,” Harrison revealed.

“I said I don’t know the team but if you are so concerned going into a very important game, what I am going to ask you to do is select the team. You know each other and tell me what formation you want to play and I will teach you,” said Harrison.

“I did a blackboard session as it relates to the 4-4-2 and they said even though they lost to Waterford they feel comfortable playing it. So what I did was reinforce it and they looked a little better today,” he added.