SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth — It wasn’t easy. However, hosts St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) battled hard to secure a 3-1 win over Maggotty High in their Zone E ISSA/Wata daCosta Cup clash here Saturday.

Tahjae Green (15th and 47th minutes) and Shamar Wallace (90th+) scored for the winners. Alex Allen got the consolation for Maggotty High in the 65th.

The win ensured the five-time winners are through to the next stage of the competition. Maggotty are second, but must now hold off the challenge of Lacovia High, Munro College and Newell High.

In steaming conditions at STETHS Sports Complex before a fair-sized crowd on a good surface, Maggotty gave as much as they got in terms of possession. However, STETHS seemed the more assured and more clinical on the counter.

A breakaway provided the opening goal as Green sped through the heart of the Maggotty defence, rounded the keeper and tapped home.

Green got his second early in the second half when he reacted fastest to a right-sided throw-in close to the corner flag. He found the net on the inside of goal keeper Dovennie Burton’s right-hand post with his precise right-footed strike.

Maggotty stayed combative and earned reward when Alex Allen capitalised on slick passing following a right-sided free kick to lash home right-footed.

The final goal from STETHS came with possibly the best move of the game.

Breaking out of defence after a period of sustained pressure from Maggotty, STETHS swept forward with breathtaking speed. They moved the ball from left to right and then across the face of goal in the twinkling of an eye for Wallace to steer it home.

Winning coach Omar Wedderburn welcomed the stern test from Maggotty. “We appreciate this push, it is going to help us in going forward,” he said.

Xavier Hendricks, Maggotty’s coach, thought his team suffered from starting too slowly.

“We weren’t moving the ball quickly enough early on. Still, this was a decent game,” Wallace said.

— Garfield Myers