JC outlast STATHS in eight-goal thriller

THE LATEST chapter of the St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) and Jamaica College (JC) rivalry lived up to its heavyweight billing. But it was the Dark Blues that prevailed in an eight-goal thriller 5-3 in yesterday’s Inter-Secondary Schools’ Sports Association (ISSA)/Digicel Manning Cup quarter-final football contest at Stadium East, as they moved into the semi-finals.

Two years after their last meeting in the Manning Cup final, where both teams failed to score in regulation time despite JC winning on penalties, this year’s edition produced a goalscoring blitz from the opening minutes.

Yesterday, Giovanni Mitto got JC off to the perfect start with a goal in the second minute.

STATHS’ danger man, Omar Laing, equalised with his 10th goal of the season in the 17th minute and would begin their goalscoring charge, and captain Omar Reid’s brace in the 25th and 41st minutes would put STATHS 3-1 up, with JC out of sorts.

However, Dwight Merrick closed the gap to one in the third minute of first-half stoppage time with a brilliant effort. JC took control of the second half and Romain Blake restored parity in the 55th minute. Tarick Ximines put the reigning champions back in front at 4-3 in the 71st minute, and Marlon Pennycooke added their fifth seven minutes later.

Davion Ferguson, the JC coach, said while pleased with the character shown in overturning the deficit, outlined that his team took STATHS too lightly, after taking the early lead.

“We started out like a house on fire. We underestimated this STATHS team. Once we scored we fell back into a lull and played a little bit too casual. Hence STATHS gained momentum. They got a goal and it gave life to them. We gifted them three goals and I don’t think this STATHS team is three goals better than JC,” said Ferguson, adding that “at no point in the game were we worried”.

STATHS head coach Phillip Williams, while pleased with the courage shown by his team, said that the slippery field conditions, caused by rain in the second half, did not help their defensive cause.

“It was a very entertaining game. We were very poor defensively and I think the underfoot conditions had a lot to do with how we played in the second half. But my hats off to JC. They went into half-time a goal down and really put together a good second half,” Williams said.

“We asked the boys to give it their all, to be expressive and to be brave and they did that in the first half. But with the wet conditions, we weren’t able to cope and JC were better prepared for that.”

It was Merrick’s free kick that Ferguson said shifted the momentum back in their favour.

“I think for us it was just to remain calm. It was more about attitude. We broke STATHS down easily in the first few minutes of the game. But I think that’s what we have to guard against, that complacency.”

Meanwhile, Mona High kept their semi-final hopes alive with a 2-0 win over St Catherine High in the second game of the Stadium East double-header, thanks to Robino Gordon’s first-half brace in the fourth and 22nd minutes. Mona High’s win sets up a winner-take-all clash this Friday with STATHS for a semi-final spot.

Mona High’s head coach, Craig Butler, said that he was pleased with the improvement in their coolness compared to their opening defeat to JC.

“I think it was a hard all-around effort. It’s important to be ready for that position. The composure was important today (yesterday) and we ensured that we got it done,” Butler said.

With Mona currently tied with STATHS on points (three), but in third place because of an inferior goal difference (zero), only a win will guarantee them a spot into the last four of the competition.

On the other hand JC, who secured passage to the semi-finals because of the Mona High result, currently lead the group with six points.

daniel.wheeler@gleanerjm.com

Yesterday’s results

JC 5- STATHS 3

Mona 2 St Catherine 0

Group 1 table after two games

Points Matches W D L GF GA GD

JC * 6 2 2 0 0 7 3 4

STATHS 3 2 1 0 1 7 6 1

Mona 3 2 1 0 1 2 2 0

St Catherine 0 2 0 0 2 1 6 -5