Calabar High Head Coach Andrew Price expressed mixed emotions after the team’s 2-0 victory over Camperdown High in the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association/Digicel Manning Cup football competition on Friday.

The win was secured thanks to Daniel Dawkins’ two goals in the 90+4 and 90+8 minutes of the game at Alpha Institute. The victory strengthened Calabar’s bid to advance from Zone D.

With the win, Calabar moved to 10 points from five games, in second position, while fellow former champions Camperdown remained in fifth position on four points.

While he was pleased with the outcome, Price wasn’t satisfied with his team’s overall performance.

“I am happy with the three points but I am not happy with the performance,” he told the
Jamaica Observer.

“I think we could have played much better, we could have been more clinical. We had too much territorial advantage and possession not to have taken the lead a lot earlier. But they say you have to save the best for last and we got those two goals late in the game and that showed the perseverance of the team,” Price added.

Despite the nature of the loss in the dying embers of the encounter, his opposite number Lebert Halliman was happy with his team’s performance.

“I think we played well up to the 90 minutes, but in added time we lost it. It was scoreless all along and time added on, Calabar was a bit fitter than us. But it was a good performance from the boys,” Halliman said.

Despite dominating ball possession, Calabar struggled to break through Camperdown’s defence in the first half. There were a number close calls, with Calabar threatening to take the lead. Jaiquan Stewart nearly scored with a long-range shot in the third minute, Ronaldinho Williams’ missed an opportunity in the 35th, and Damano Blackford’s powerful strike rattled the cross bar in the 39th.

The second half brought more of the same, though Camperdown showed teeth in attack on the odd occasion. Calabar’s Davian Smith missed a golden opportunity to break the deadlock in the 79th minute, and it seemed like the match would end in a draw as the teams continued to nullify each other.

However, Dawkins had other plans deep into time added. He scored the winning goal, effortlessly beating the goalkeeper and two defenders, then added a cushion to Calabar’s lead with a second goal just four minutes later.

FRIDAY’S RESULTS

Camperdown 0, Calabar 2

Bridgeport 3, Pembroke Hall 1