KINGSTON, Jamaica — Champions Jamaica College got their ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup quarter-final campaign off to a winning start with a 2-0 win over neighbours Mona High on Friday.

The influential captain, Duncan McKenzie, was again the star of the show as he scored the first goal from the penalty spot to celebrate his 18th birthday.

McKenzie admitted that it was special to get a goal and a win on his birthday.

“It’s extremely special. This is what I wanted as my birthday gift. I’m extremely thankful to the team for the performance today.”

JC dominated the second half in which they scored both goals, but the first half was a bit more of a challenge for the title holders.

“I thought that Mona’s press was extremely effective in the first half, but I think in the second half they just couldn’t maintain it and we started to find little outlets, started to find space and I think that’s why we started to play so well,” McKenzie explained.

The talented left-footer says that the team is where they want to be at this stage of the season as they registered their fifth consecutive win.

“That’s exactly what we want. We know that we are going to play some tough games going forward and we have to be solid defensively and on the attacking end we need to keep finding goals. I think that we can be a bit more clinical and once we start doing that, we are going to be winning games.”

From a personal perspective, ‘Diego’, as he is affectionately called after the Argentine maestro Diego Maradona, wants to add more goals, despite scoring five so far this season.

“To be honest I think I can score a lot more. I think I need to get in pockets of space in the final third, but at the moment, I can’t complain and I’m just thankful that I am getting some goals and the team is winning.”

McKenzie will be hoping to add to his tally when they meet St Andrew Technical at the same venue at 1:00 pm on Tuesday.