JC has a lot left in the tank, warns coach Ferguson
KINGSTON, Jamaica — With the four semi-finalists decided at the end of the quarter-final round of the ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup, Jamaica College (JC) remains the only team in the competition yet to taste defeat.
The ‘True Blues’ now have a record of 15 game played, 13 wins and two draws. In their final game in the quarter-final round on Friday, they secured a narrow 1-0 win over St. Andrew Technical High School (STATHS), a team that they have met every season in the last five seasons, including two Manning Cup finals.
The game, which was played at the Stadium East Field, could have gone either way as STATHS were guilty of squandering a few easy chances in the first half, but at the end of the day, it was the Davion Ferguson-coached team that came away with three points and group honours. Ferguson admitted that his team did not have the most polished of first half performances which let in their opponents.
“I think the first half we were a lot off in terms of what we wanted to play. At half time we corrected a few things. In the second half I think we did a lot better we had more control.”
“We know STATHS use the wings predominantly well. The first half we weren’t getting the coverage from our wide players in terms of supporting the wing backs, so they overload us in the wide areas in the first half and I think they got some justice there.”
He said that half time adjustments allowed JC to take control of the game and resulted in a much better performance in the second stanza.
“In terms of how we normally play we were off our rhythm in the first half. We lost a lot of balls in the first phase of the game, which is unlike us, but we corrected that in the half time interval and the second half was a much better performance.”
Ferguson also credited the obvious lack of intensity from both teams to the fact that they were already semi-final bound ahead of the contest.
“If (it) was a must win game to go to the next round we would have seen a different game from both teams,” he reasoned.
And the teams head into the business end of the season where each victory takes each team one step closer to a trophy, Ferguson had an ominous warning for the other title contenders.
“We are in all competitions still; we are in the semi-finals of the Manning Cup. I don’t think we have that many injury concerns. I don’t think we have that many energy concerns also, I think we have a lot left in the tank. So, it’s just now to get these youngsters to push for the last part of the Manning Cup and the Champions Cup.”
The draw for the Champions Cup takes place on Wednesday and begins on Saturday while the Manning Cup semi-finals will be placed next week Tuesday. Jamaica College will play Mona High in what is a highly anticipated match.