Excelsior take advantage of lifeline
Published:Sunday | December 12, 2021 | 12:14 AMDaniel Wheeler - Staff Reporter
Excelsior High School’s head coach, Xavier Gilbert, did not need much to motivate his team for their ISSA/Manning Cup quarter-final match yesterday. With a new lease on life, Excelsior High took full advantage, dispatching Kingston Technical High School (KTHS) 3-1 in their opening group two game at Stadium East.
Excelsior’s Jevaughnie Simms and KTHS’ Maquan Aldridge traded goals in the 27th and 35th minutes, respectively, for a 1-1 tie, after which Onando Calame restored Excelsior’s lead in the 63rd minute. Jhevan Smith made the points safe with an 88th-minute free kick.
The unexpected beneficiary from the exclusion of Camperdown High and Tivoli Gardens High from the competition for fielding ineligible players, Excelsior’s Gilbert said that their renewed lifeline gave them the drive to play with purpose.
“It wasn’t our best performance, but credit must be given to the youngsters. We came away with three points and we are grateful for that,” Gilbert said.
“Being in the second round after everything that has transpired is already a motivation, and I think that this will uplift the boys’ spirits and, hopefully, we can carry the momentum into our next game.”
The irony of Excelsior’s fortune was not lost on Gilbert, as his Dinthill Technical High School team benefited from similar circumstances to ease their way into the daCosta Cup quarter-finals in 2019. They would go all the way to the final four that season.
Own destiny
While not getting ahead of himself, Gilbert is focused on ensuring that his team control their own destiny to extend their fortunes further.
“What we want to do is try to have two wins heading into the last game and then we are in with a chance (of semi-final qualification). And that’s all we want,” Gilbert said.
A tight first half evolved to a strong second half for KTHS. An early giveaway almost led to them taking the lead inside the first five minutes, but the shot cannoned off the post. Worrell Nelson thought he had given them the lead in the 61st minute, but saw his dipping shot saved expertly by Excelsior goalkeeper Michael Clarke.
But, two minutes later, against the run of play, Calame received a pass on the right-hand side and fired low past KTHS’ goalkeeper, Kerron Grant.
For KTHS head coach, Shaun Charlton, the goal was a momentum breaker from which they could not recover.
“The goal took the wind out of our players because of lack of marking and a failure to track. The goalkeeper didn’t cover his near post very well, so the player took the opportunity. And I, as a striker, would take that opportunity,” Charlton said.
Smith put the game beyond doubt with a well-taken free kick in the 88th minute.
Aggrieved with certain decisions
Meanwhile, Kingston College (KC) defeated Charlie Smith 3-0 in the second game of the Stadium East double-header. Christopher Pearson fired KC into the lead in the 10th minute, while second-half strikes from Ronardo Burgher and Demario McCarthy sealed the win for the many-time champions.
However, Charlie Smith High’s head coach, Eugene Williams, felt aggrieved with certain decisions that went against them, including KC’s opening goal, which he felt hit a KC player’s hand before the strike; and the sending off of Dacquan Green in the 72nd minute for allegedly landing an elbow to a KC player.
“I’m not saying that KC didn’t play, because you (have to) put the ball in the back of the net. That’s what counts. But if the referee was on top of the game, probably we would have a result that ends in our favour,” Williams said. “But we have to give KC credit. They came out and they did what they needed to do.”