- FileJackie Walters said there was still room for improvement.
JAMAICA'S UNDER-17 football side crushed St. Kitts and Nevis 5-1 in the first leg of their Caribbean Football Union Group B World Cup qualifying tie against the hosts on Friday night.
On the back of a hat-trick by striker Steven Morrissey, the Jamaicans have a near unassailable lead going into the second leg of the qualifier, also in Basseterre next Sunday.
Sean Givens opened the scoring for Jamaica in the 17th minute and the visitors slowly but surely assumed control of the match from then on.
Donovan Miller was on target in the 38th minute to give Jamaica a more than comfortable two-goal buffer going into the break.
Upon resumption it was all Morrissey as the sharpshooter demoralised St. Kitts and Nevis with three goals in three minutes. He was on target in the 55th, 56th and 58th minutes to totally demoralise the home team. Just before his blitz, St. Kitts and Nevis pulled a goal back when Valentine Richardson scored in the 51st minute, but it was all Jamaica the rest of the way.
Despite the impressive margin of victory, Jamaica coach Jackie Walters said there was still room for improvement from his charges.
"I think we played well in spurts," Walters said. "we weren't consistent in playing the quality football we are capable of and, at times, we lost focus and allowed them back into the game," he said.
With the qualifier all but secured, Walters is likely to use some bench players in the second clash and possibly rest Morrissey and Miller who suffered slight injuries during the match.
The winner of this qualifier will face the victor of the other group clash between Antigua and Barbuda and Grenada for a place in the Caribbean zone's final round. Antigua and Barbuda have a 2-0 lead going into today's final encounter in Grenada.
