‘Dog fight!’ - KC, Wolmer's get positive Manning Cup second-round starts

W olmer’s Boys defeated St Catherine 1-0, while Eltham and St Andrew Technical (STATHS) drew 2-2 in their second-round first-leg ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup games at the Spanish Town Prison Oval yesterday.

In Kingston, defending champions Kingston College brushed aside Vauxhall by a 3-1 margin while Camperdown held Holy Trinity to a goalless draw.

Deshawn Bernard’s second-half strike was enough to give Wolmer’s victory over the home team, while, Warner Brown’s late goal earned STATHS a share of the spoils in their contest.

In the feature match, there were very few chances and very little to separate the teams, although St Catherine enjoyed a few openings.

However, seven minutes into the second-half, Bernard picked up a loose ball outside the area and thumped a precise shot past the St Catherine custodian.

Wolmer’s coach Alex Thomas said he got the dog-fight he had anticipated and was glad to come away with the advantage.

“(The game was not) Not comfortable, but happy with the three points. We came into a very hostile place but the boys showed character to get these three points “ Thomas said.

Meanwhile, St Catherine coach Anthony Patrick blamed his team’s poor finishing for the defeat.

“We created some half chances but we didn’t even take one shot at goal,” Patrick commented.

Earlier, Warner Brown, who was playing in his first match of the season, scored a late goal to earn St Andrew Technical a 2-2 draw with Eltham.

Romario Campbell fired STATHS into the lead after just 10 minutes but Devante Francis equalised on 33 minutes for the Spanish Town-based school.

Eltham had themselves to blame for not going into the break with the lead after Antoine Morgan missed a penalty, and the same player blasted a great opportunity over the bar from six yards out a few minutes later.

Two minutes into the second half, Eltham took the lead after a header deflected off a defender and into the goal.

However, STATHS kept them on the the back foot until the 83rd minute when Brown controlled a cross neatly in the chest before hitting a left footed half-volley into the far corner.

STATHS coach Philip Williams thought his team showed character to claw their way back in the tie, while reserving special praise for Brown.

“We know the quality he (Brown) has when he is on his ‘A’ game, and we put him in the game for the sole purpose of scoring a goal and he did just that,” Williams said.

Eltham coach Gregory Allen said it was an even game but he thought the penalty they missed would have made the difference.

Yesterday’s ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup results:

Eltham 2-2 STATHS

Vauxhall 1-3 KC

St Catherine 0-1 Wolmer’s

Holy Trinity 0-0 Camperdown