KINGSTON, Jamaica — The 2021-2022 ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup season has been one like no other. One of the most unique features of this season is that there were no return games.

The fact that the first round does not allow for returns games means that teams must be switched on from matchday one. This also means that teams are not as prepared as normal for the playoffs due to a lack of minutes on the field.

Ludlow Bernard, the head coach of perennial challengers Kingston College (KC) says that his players must be ready to go, regardless of the situation they find themselves in.

“Less games competitively means that you are underprepared competitively and we have to really hit the ground running when we get to the quarterfinal round.

“It doesn’t allow for a trial-and-error situation, so we have to get it right, right now! That is the challenge that the coaching staff is presented with,” he said after his team completed their first-round assignments on Monday.

Even with less competitive minutes, Bernard believes that his team has what it takes to go all the way this season.

“We fancy our chances. We intend to keep the squad very rounded. The players coming from off the bench can contribute just as much as the players that are starting.”

KC completed their regular season campaign with their fifth win on the trot and they featured a lot of fringe players in the game that they won 2-1 against St Catherine High.

“I think it was a good opportunity for them to come in a pressure situation because St Catherine was really looking (the win), they were leaving their backs open.”

He added: “We probably needed to have changed some strategies, but I think defensively we were really strong, we were winning the first balls, we were winning the second balls (and that is) something that wasn’t happening for quite a while, but I am satisfied with the players that came in the latter part. They really gave a good account of themselves.”

The game against St Catherine was the first time that KC was conceding all season and Bernard admitted that he was disappointed that they had not been able to keep a fifth clean sheet.

“Definitely disappointed. We were in total control of the game and we had no need whatsoever to give up a goal, but sometimes conceding helps to relieve some of the pressure.

“Three years ago, this very same unit, the core of them, played in an Under-16 Colts competition and played all season, scoring 49 goals and not conceding any. So, I thought that we would have been able to replicate that, but this is a higher level. the Under-19 level. It is probably going to be a little more difficult to maintain that level of concentration,” he said.

KC will begin their quarterfinal campaign today against Charlie Smith High in the feature game at the Stadium East Field starting at 3:00 pm.

Excelsior High and Kingston Technical High will meet in the curtain-raiser starting a 1:00 pm.