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Defending champions drop points in hot D’Cup opener

Published:Sunday | September 8, 2019 | 12:37 AMKavarly Arnold - Sunday Gleaner Writer
Lennon High’s Gowain Austin (left) tackles the ball from his opponent, Clarendon College’s Kodrick Granville (right), who takes a shot under pressure during the ISSA/WATA daCosta Cup match at the Montego Bay Sports Complex between Clarendon College and Lennon High yesterday. The game ended 1-1
Ashley Anguin
Lennon High’s Gowain Austin (left) tackles the ball from his opponent, Clarendon College’s Kodrick Granville (right), who takes a shot under pressure during the ISSA/WATA daCosta Cup match at the Montego Bay Sports Complex between Clarendon College and Lennon High yesterday. The game ended 1-1

WESTERN BUREAU:

Defending daCosta Cup champions Clarendon College (CC) failed to make to make an impressive start to the 2019 ISSA/WATA daCosta Cup season after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Lennon High School at the Montego Bay Sports Complex yesterday.

Earl Simpson gave Clarendon the lead four minutes into the game, slotting home a penalty kick to the goal keeper’s left. That lead only lasted nine minutes as Alphonso Johnson found the equaliser for Lennon, beating the CC custodian with a shot from outside the box. As the game went deeper, the heat of the 2:30 p.m. start, coupled with multiple stoppages for water and injuries, drained the energy from the game.

While both coaches were pleased with at least getting a point from the game, they expressed disappointment in the conditions the game were played under.

TOO MANY STOPPAGES

“I think the game stopped too much. Every time a Lennon player went down stopping the game, the water breaks and all, so the game was not flowing. The momentum kept going up and down,” said Lenny Hyde, technical director of CC.

“However, I won’t name any excuse. We never played anything up to standard today. Bad game and bad performance. It’s good that we got a point out of it judging by our performance,” he added. “We definitely have to correct the things that went wrong today and continue working. We have a lot of inexperience in the team, so we will have to work on that as well to get them motivated again.”

Byjeon Thomas, coach of Lennon High, said he, too, was not pleased with the conditions due to the start time, but was, however, happy to take a point off their group rivals.

“I am disappointed with the start time of the game as it took away from the spectacle of the opening game. It (players going down) had nothing to do with the fitness of my players. It was because the heat and the fact that we travelled here today, so due to these conditions, the players weren’t at their best,” said Thomas.

“We are happy for the point and we are just looking forward to the next game. We are now focused on our next game to see how we can go out there and get three points,” he added.

Yesterday’s Results:

Clarendon 1-1 Lennon

Lacovia 0-1 Sydney Pagon

Edwin Allen 3-0 Kellits

Munro 2-0 Newell

Manchester 5-0 B. B Coke

Maggotty 1-0 Black River

Ochi Rios 3 -0 Browns Town

York Castle 1-1 Marcus Garvey

Annotto Bay 6-1 St Mary Technical

Brimmervale 2-2 Carron Hall

Titchfield 2-0 Fair Prospect

Happy Grove 2-1 Port Antonio High

Paul Bogle 4-2 Yallahs

Seaforth 2-0 St Thomas Technical

Morant Bay 2-1 Robert Lightbourne

McGrath 1-0 Dinthill

Edith Bennett 1-2 Charlemont