By Paul A. Reid, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
A NUMBER of upsets highlighted the end of the first round of the Pepsi/Sports Plus daCosta Cup competition yesterday.
Grange Hill Comprehensive created the biggest surprise when they beat seven-time champions Rusea's Comprehensive 2-1 at the Colin Miller Memorial Sports Complex in Lucea.
Martin Williams scored once in each half for Grange Hill as they registered their first win over the former Zone B leaders while Rikardo Collins pulled one back for Rusea's from the penalty spot.
Other upsets were registered by Green Island who edged Frome 1-0 for their first win of the season; Mile Gully were also first-time winners with a 3-1 hammering of Holmwood in Zone G while Christiana stopped Aabuthnott Gallimore 1-0.
Anchovy Comprehensive moved past Rusea's into the lead in Zone B after edging a game Merlene Ottey 1-0 to lead the Hanover school by a point.
At Martha Brae, three goals in the last 16 minutes on a soggy field by St. James High killed off the hopes of home school William Knibb Memorial with a 4-1 come-from-behind win.
After a delayed start due to the late arrival of the match officials, William Knibb surged into the lead in the 21st minute when Delroy Ellis finished off a good move with a point-blank shot into the back of the net.
Kevon Pinnock set up the goal when he used the back of his head to loop the ball from the right flank over the St. James defence and right into the path of Ellis.
Alton Shaw scored the first of his double in the 33rd minute to level the scores when he punched a left footer past a diving Dane Hyatt in the William Knibb goal.
The home team should have regained the lead in the 41st minute but for a series of nearly comical misses after they had the St. James defence and goalkeeper at their mercy.
The game looked headed for a tame draw with both teams looking tired having to cope with the heavy underfoot conditions until St. James produced a late spark to kill of the William Knibb team.
Junior Malcolm took full advantage of a casual William Knibb defence to score from an acute angle almost along the touchline to give his team their first lead after 75 minutes.
Five minutes later, Shaw completed his double with a fierce left footer from well outside the area and Omar Campbell rounded off the scoring with three minutes to go.
Meanwhile, Porus maintained their stranglehold on Zone F with a 6-1 trouncing of May Day to increase their points tally to 11. Bellefield and Manchester High stayed tied in second place after playing to a 1-1 draw.
YESTERDAY'S RESULTS
Zone A: St. James High 4 William Knibb 1
Zone B: Grange Hill 2 Rusea's 1, Anchovy 1 Merlene Ottey 0, Green Island 1 Frome 0.
Zone D: Ocho Rios 5 York Castle 0, Browns' Town 2 Marcus Garvey 1, Cedric Titus vs Ferncourt - postponed water-logged field.
Zone F: Porus 6 May Day 1, Bellefield 1 Manchester 1.
Zone G: Mile Gully 3 Holmwood 1, Christiana 1 Aabuthnott Gallimore 0.
Zone I: Glenmuir 2 Kemps Hill 0.
Zone J: Dinthill 2 McGrath 1, Charlemont 2 Tacius Golding 1.
Zone K: St. Mary Tech 2 Islington 0.
Zone L: Morant Bay 3 Yallahs 0, Happy Grove 1 Fair Prospect 0, St. Thomas 1 Seaforth 0.