STATHS hold Bridgeport in tame 0-0 draw
St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) pulled out all the stops to hold onto a 0-0 draw against their more fancied rivals Bridgeport High in their 2017 Group B Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/FLOW Manning Cup match at home yesterday.
With the point, STATHS moved to two points from two games for fourth position in the group, while Bridgeport remained on top with four points, also from two games.
In the other group games, defending champions Jamaica College (JC) defeated third-placed Mona High (three points) 3-1 to move to second spot on four points and Donald Quarrie and Papine High played out to a 1-1 draw. Papine are fifth on one point and Donald Quarrie are sixth, also on one point.
Philip Williams, coach of STATHS, was unhappy with his team’s performance.
“The performance today (yesterday) was below par. I think the boys weren’t working hard enough, which resulted in us underperforming in some departments when it really mattered the most.
“In front of goal we didn’t create enough chances to get that winning goal. It is now back to the drawing board and getting the boys ready and focused and see if we can bounce back in our next game coming up, “ Williams told the Jamaica Observer.
His opposite number Garnett Lawrence was also unsatisfied with his team’s performance.
“I didn’t like the momentum in which we started the game. We eventually got going like about 25 minutes into the game, but still the passing game wasn’t there and we need to work on that because we have a very hard game next against JC on Friday and we need to be ready.
“Getting a point on the road I should be satisfied, [but] we got the chances and never put them away and so I am not entirely pleased with the effort,” Lawrence said.
It was rather a tame start to the game by both teams as they failed to hold on to early possession of the ball. However, as both teams got into their groove, it was Bridgeport who looked the more settled and composed of the two with several scoring opportunities, but they were unable to put any away.
In the 18th minute Javaughn McIntosh created an anxious moment for the home team when, after getting by two defenders, his shot went past everyone in front of an empty goal.
On the stroke of half time, Bridgeport came close again to open the deadlock, but Javaun Bascoe’s shot was just cleared off the goal line by a STATHS defender, ending a frustrating first half for the visitors.
Both teams went hard at it on the resumption in search for the all-important goal, creating numerous chances, but again both teams failed to convert. STATHS got the better chance to score in the 65th minute when O’Neil Hayden picked up a loose ball inside of the six-yard box, but he fired straight at Javaughn Dunn in goal for Bridgeport.
Jeadine White, in STATHS’s goal, then had to save a couple of shots taken by the visitors, earning his side a draw after 90 minutes of frustrating football.