RURAL area champions Clarendon College and Wolmer’s Boys’ are through to the quarter-final of the ISSA/Flow Super Cup following respective first-round victories at Sabina Park yesterday.

Clarendon College came from behind for a 2-1 win over Hydel High, while Wolmer’s Boys’ registered a 3-1 result over Port Antonio High.

In the third game of the triple header, St George’s College defeated Petersfield 5-0 in a largely one-sided affair.

In the curtain raiser, Clarendon College and Hydel required extra time to decide a winner after playing out a 1-1 scoreline in regular time.

Substitute Joel Sterling was the hero for the daCosta Cup champions, netting both goals in the 82nd and 106th minutes after Nicholas Nelson had given Hydel an early lead in the 22nd minute.

The game was expected to be a keen contest and it lived up to expectation for the most part. It was the Ferry-based Hydel who were the better of the two teams, and after dominating the early exchanges, eventually opened the scoring when Nelson slotted in from a Stephen Barnett pass.

The Geoffrey Maxwell-coached team went agonisingly close to extending their lead when a well-struck shot by Omar Palmer from a distance left Eric Edwards, in goal for Clarendon College, beaten, but came back off the crossbar.

Clarendon College orchestrated a few useful build-ups of their own, but failed to open up their opponents defence to get a clean look at goal as the score remained 1-0 at the break.

The Chapelton-based Clarendon College got back in the game when Sterling, who replaced Shande James in attack, finished off a right side cross from Gregton Charlton to make it 1-1 in they dying moments to send the game into extra time.

Hydel played the 20 minutes of extra time with 10 players after Howard Morris, who had earlier picked up a caution in the 32nd minute, was shown a second yellow and then a red for dissent on the stroke of full time.

And with the first half of extra time offering nothing to talk about, Sterling popped up in the closing stages to notch the winner after picking up a through pass from Captain Seigle Knight.

Winning Coach Paul ‘Tegat’ Davis was elated with his team’s performance.

“I thought we played a scrappy first half, but in the second half our character changed; the guys looked into themselves and we got those two goals, so I’m very happy with the performance,” he said.

Maxwell, on the other hand, was slightly disappointed, but lauded his team for making it this far.

“I thought we played well in the first half and should have won the game from there, but overall I think the boys did well enough despite being a little casual in the second half and we paid the price,” he told the Jamaica Observer in a post-match interview.

The second encounter was not as entertaining, as Wolmer’s Boys’ were a cut above Port Antonio in what turned out to be a lopsided affair.

The Heroes’ Circle-based team playing without Captain Kashawn Smith and the wily Akiiki Jackson went in front in the second minute.

Rojay Smith, who was brought down inside the area, brushed himself off and easily converted from the penalty spot.

The lead was doubled nine minutes later when former Calabar defender Jahwahni Hinds headed in a well-weighted corner kick from Yashinn Bonfield in the 11th minute.

The score would remain unchanged at the break as the game slowed significantly, as both teams seemed content with playing the ball in the middle of the park.

And after carving open their opponents back line, Wolmer’s went 3-0 up courtesy of Rivaldo English, who held his composure and fired past Lavain Brissett in goal for Port Antonio from a breakaway in the 76th.

But Port Antonio would not leave empty-handed and notched a consolation goal when substitute Deshawn Boucher converted a well-taken left-footed free kick from outside the 18-yard box in the 90th minute.

Winning Coach Vassel Reynolds was delighted with the win.

“I think it was an excellent performance; we really wanted to finish this game early, bearing in mind that we have another game on Monday. So, overall I’m satisfied with this win,” he said.

Meanwhile, Marlon Hylton of Port Antonio felt his team was not mentally prepared.

“I think it’s a mental issue. We went out there and we started the game poorly. We were basically sleeping and the two goals in the first 10 minutes took its toll in the end,” he lamented.