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KC extend unbeaten first-round run to 41

Published:Saturday | September 21, 2019 | 12:00 AMAkino Ming /Staff Reporter
Ricardo Makyn
Papine High’s Jahvone Edwards and St Andrew Technical’s (STATHS) Tyrese Smith challenge for the ball while Papine’s Maliki Hector finds himself on the wrong end of Smith’s studs during the ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup match between both schools at the Edward Seaga Sports Complex. STATHS won 1-0 through a Romario Campbell goal.

Kingston College’s unblemished run in the first round of the ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup competition continued yesterday when they hammered Cedar Grove Academy 8-0 at the Stadium East field.

‘The purples’ have not lost a game in the first round of the competition since 2014, when they were beaten by Waterford High School and their North Street neighbours St George’s College twice.

However, it seems like the Ludlow Bernard-coached team will have another flawless first round after easing past their first three opponents 4-0, 5-0, and 8-0.

Bored at half-time

The effortlessness by which KC are going through Group G, also posed a challenge as the boys seemed bored after the first 45 minutes. However, Bernard has been finding a way to remedy that problem, by rotating the team as much as possible.

“We try to rotate the group just to maintain the intensity and see if the players who come on to the pitch can boost their confidence,” Bernard said.

“Even though the game wasn’t that difficult, it’s important for us to replicate some of the stuff that we do in training, keeping our shape and discipline. I know it is difficult to remain discipline when the opposition is not strong, but that will test the mettle of the team.”

Captain Jamari Morrison opened the scoring in the second minute from the penalty spot, and Tyreese Williams doubled the scored two minutes later when he scored the first of his hat-trick. He got his second in the 19th minute before completing the hat-trick in the 62nd minute.

Winger Ari Rogers scored in the 25th while substitutes Dwayne Atkinson, Matthew Bell and Jean-marc Gayle got the other goals.

KC will try to extend their lead in the group when they take on Kingston Technical High School on Monday.

Last year, the purples registered maximum points in the first round when they tallied 30. The previous year, they scored 28 points after only dropping two points.

Manning Cup Results:

 

Haile Selassie High 1-0 Bridgeport High School

Kingston High 0 – 0 Jonathan Grant

Charlie Smith 1 – 0 Denham Town

Ascott High 2 - 0 Donald Quarrie

Northern Tech 0 – 7 St Catherine

STATHS 1 – 0 Papine

Ardenne 0 – 1 Calabar

St George’s College 3 – 0 Campion College

Eltham High 3 – 0 Norman Manley

Pembroke Hall 0 – 0 Dunoon Technical

Kingston College 8 – 0 Cedar Grove