JC, Charlie Smith book quarter-final spots
Published:Tuesday | October 29, 2019 | 12:25 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
Jamaica College (JC) and Charlie Smith High have secured the final two quarterfinal spots in the ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup competition, despite contrasting results in rescheduled second-round matches at the Spanish Town Prison Oval yesterday.
Charlie Smith defeated St Jago 4-0 for a 6-0 aggregate win, while Jamaica College went down 1-0 to Hydel but advanced 2-1 on aggregate.
In the feature game, Jamaica College fell behind to Jordane Cameron’s 30th-minute penalty, after Nickache Murray senselessly hacked down Cameron inside the box. Jamaica College had dominated the opening minutes and came close through Shaneil Thomas, who curled a shot over the bar from 18 yards. Hydel came out with a purpose in the second half and really made a match of it, and Tyres Simms, Clement Barrett and Cameron all came close to finding the equaliser.
Hydel persistent
Rajae Lawrence nearly extended JC’s lead when his cross hit the inside of the post and rebounded into play. But despite Hydel’s persistence, JC held on to take the tie on aggregate.
JC head coach Davion Ferguson said that his players did well to manage the game despite feeling fatigue from Saturday’s encounter.
“The turnover time for this game was less than 48 hours, so physically, it was draining,” he said. “We tried to rotate the squad as much as possible. Hydel scored an early penalty, and it brought life to their game, it gave them hope. But the fight and the grit we showed and how we managed the second half was good.”