Clarendon, Manchester in daCosta Cup blockbuster
Published:Tuesday | October 13, 2015 | 3:32 PMPaul Clarke
WESTERN BUREAU:
When the high-flying Manchester High School meet the defending ISSA-Flow daCosta champions Clarendon College at Middlesex College this afternoon in the feature game of a double header, it will bring together two of the competition's most prolific teams.
The first game is between Denbigh and Ewarton at one o'clock, a game that should serve to whet appetites for the epic clash to follow at 3 p.m.
Manchester and Clarendon College combined have scored a whopping 101 goals between them, 68 coming from the rampaging Manchester team and the remaining 33 coming from the champions.
It will also feature two of the meanest backlines in the daCosta Cup as both have had their defences breached four times apiece.
Clarendon College are yet to lose in eight matches, with five wins and three draws in amassing 18 points to top their group. They bring a refreshing style of play to the fore against a rugged and completely well-drilled Manchester machine.
Manchester's coach, Donovan Duckie, points to the fact that his three-year plan for daCosta Cup domination has been working. He told The Gleaner that a solid platform was laid and the proof is their success to this point.
"Coming against the champions, we have to be mindful who they are, first of all. They are champions for a reason, they have been there and done it. Therefore, it is on us to give our best when we meet," said Duckie.
"We can only control what we can; play our game and put in place a tactically sound approach against this Clarendon College team," he said.
They have won all 10 games in the group stage and owe much of their punch upfront to talented forwards Romaine Walsh and the dangerous Duhaney Williams. Between them, they account for 39 of Manchester's goals.
Walsh leads the race for the Golden Boot with 20 goals, while Williams has scored 19.
"We have managed to score a historic number of goals of any school in the history of the daCosta Cup at this stage. Williams and Walsh are just on fire, and we hope a victory is also there for us in this one," Duckie asserted.