Holy Trinity hammer Clan Carthy

A hat-trick from substitute Carlington Blackwood led Holy Trinity High to an 8-1 mauling of Clan Carty High in their opening Group A ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup encounter at Winchester Park yesterday.

From the opening whistle, the Central Kingston-based school went on an all-out attack, despite coach Devon Anderson leaving a number of his regular starters on the bench.

The floodgates were opened within the first 15 minutes of the encounter as Shamari Glade latched on to an errant clearance and lobbed goalkeeper Ishmael Simpson to make it 1-0.

The youthful Clan Carthy aggregation had no answer for the relentless attacking barrage from Holy Trinity, and on minute 25, Ricardo Dixon found himself inside the six-yard box and fired a low left-footed shot through a swarm of defenders past Simpson to make it 2-0.

The Holy Trinity team grew in confidence with every minute that ticked away, and they were duly rewarded with a third goal in the 38th minute as Jahiem Williams ran on to a through pass from Shain Hanson and slotted past an advancing Simpson to make it 3-0.

The second half brought about more misery for the Clan Carthy team as Anderson introduced his main striker Blackwood.

The lanky forward wasted little time in getting on to the scoresheet as he got his first in the 51st minute through a glancing header inside the six-yard box following some good work down the right-side flank by Hanson.

Four-nil quickly turned to five-nil seven minutes later as Blackwood, who found himself with acres of space inside the box, turned and fired a low right-footed shot past reserve goalkeeper Damaine Francis, who came on for Simpson, who suffered a finger injury.

Clan Carty would get some respite in the game after they were awarded a penalty in the 69th minute after a foul in the box on Michael Jones. O’Neil Brown then converted to make it 5-1 to the delight of the travelling supporters.

The goal looked to have enraged the Holy Trinity team and they got the 6th goal in the 74th minute when Blackwood rifled in a right-footed shot after a headed down ball from Hanson.

Blackwood would then get to complete his hattrick after Holy Trinity were awarded a penalty following a foul in the area, and Blackwood stepped up to convert to seal a workmanlike outing in his first game of the season.

The diminutive substitute Rasheem Green then put the icing on the cake for the Holy Trinity team who jumped to the top of the group on goal difference.

“It was a workmanlike performance from my team today, we are in a rebuilding process as a lot of our players are all over the place as you know, but it was a good way to start, and things are looking up going forward,” said Anderson.

Yesterday’s Results

Holy Trinity 8-1 Clan Carthy

St Mary’s College 1-3 Meadowbrook

Camperdown 1-0 Mona

Vauxhall 6-0 Innswood

Greater Portmore 0-10 Jamaica College

Edith Dalton 1-2 Hydel