Waite pleased with reserve players

Charlie Smith High's coach Jerome Waite praised his reserve players yesterday after they showed 'character' to earn a 2-2 draw against hosts Norman Manley High in an ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup Group C match.

Waite rested a number of injured starters and the team battled hard to earn a point at the Maxfield Park Sports Complex yesterday.

Charlie Smith jumped into the lead in the 38th minute when Renaldo Cephas dismissed his marker and fired home from 12 metres. But the hosts responded with two spectacular goals, two minutes apart, in the second-half through strikes from Devontay Ricketts (66th) and Nicholas Hall (68th).

Waite's team secured a share of the points six minutes from time when Kemoy Bailey headed home from a corner.

Waite noted that the game was only of academic interest and that winning was not the motive, as they sought to give some of his fringe players some game time.

"The game was basically of academic interest as far as Norman Manley were concerned. Charlie Smith never really needed the points as well. But with the amount of players we have on the injured list it was an opportunity for other players to play.

"They showed character here today (Tuesday) because after going ahead and then falling behind, they showed real fight to level the score," he said.

Waite is confident going into the next round.

"We will have to wait until all the games are played and then we know who we will play. We have a good unit but we still have a lot of work to do," he said.

Norman Manley's coach, Paul Edwards, said his team showed Charlie Smith too much respect in the first-half.

"We started the game showing too much respect for Charlie Smith. At the half we instructed the players to take more shots and we scored two good goals and got a chance to win it in the last five minutes." he said.

Yesterday's results

- Denham Town 2 Tivoli Gardens 1

- Edith Dalton James 1 Holy Trinity 3

- Eltham High 7 Meadowbrook 0

- Waterford 1 Wolmer's 1

- Camperdown 3 Jonathan Grant 2

- N'Manley 2 Charlie Smith 2