Thomas lashes complacent XLCR

Coach of Excelsior High, Shavar Thomas was not pleased with his team's performance, despite a 3-2 win against Ardenne High in Group E action in the ISSA/FLOW Manning Cup schoolboy competition at Ardenne High yesterday.

Chad McKen scored in the seventh minute to put Excelsior in to the lead with an own goal by Ardenne in the 19th minute pushing Excelsior further ahead. However, the hosts hit back with a goal by Curtis Henry in the 24th minute. Tyrick Sutherland put Excelsior 3-1 up with a well taken strike in the 63rd minute before Henry outsped two defenders for his and the team's second goal in the 87th minute.

After the game a visibly upset Thomas said that the only good thing for his team was the result.

"Hell no, I am not pleased with the performance of the team today (yesterday). We let in two goals against Ardenne and the attitude of the players was not good," said Thomas, who is a former Excelsior and national senior team captain.

 

NOT HUNGRY ENOUGH

 

"We were complacent - just was not hungry enough. On top of that we need goals. We needed three points going into the game and that was the only good thing," he pointed out.

Looking ahead, Thomas still believes that his team can challenge for the Manning Cup title this year.

"I believe from day one that we have the team to challenge for the Manning Cup. And, I still believe we can do it because we have quality and it is just a situation of getting it the right way," Thomas added.

"We will continue to give people a chance to play so that when November comes, we will know who are in the grind." he added.

Meanwhile, Ardenne's Henry moved his tally to four goals and while noting that they will continue pushing on, conceded that his team did not play well.

"My team played poorly, but we scored two goals and will continue fighting in the remaining four games. We still have a chance to make it to the next stage," said Henry, who is also a 100m and 200m sprinter for his school.

The win pushed Excelsior onto 13 points in second position behind preseason favourites Kingston College, who defeated Spanish Town High 5-0 to move to maximum 18 points from six games.

 

Yesterday's results

 

Kingston High 1, Tivoli Gardens 1

Haile Selassie 4, Innswood 2

Pembroke Hall 0, Wolmer's 3

Jamaica College 5, Mona 0

Bridgeport 0, STATHS 1

Papine 1, Donald Quarrie 0

Norman Manley 0, Greater Portmore 2

Ardenne 2, Excelsior 3

Spanish Town 0, Kingston College 5

Campion 0, Eltham 6

Calabar 5, Jonathan Grant 1

Cedar Grove 0, Charlie Smith 4