By Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer
CHARLIE SMITH became the first team to qualify for the second round of the 2002 Pepsi/Sports Plus Manning Cup schoolboy Under-19 football competition with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Kingston Technical at Clan Carthy yesterday.
The lone goal came in the 23rd minute off the boot of Marcelino Blackburn, who increased his goal tally to 20. Blackburn total is now only 10 behind former Charlie Smith striker Kevin 'Pele' Wilson, who scored 30 for the 1995 championship team.
Charlie Smith have 24 points from eight games. Only third place St. Jago (12 points, six games) can reach 24 points. However, they will have to beat Charlie Smith, who crushed them 5-2 at their home, and second-placed Kingston Technical (13, seven games) who edged them 1-0.
The group is completed by Kingston High (six), Mona (four) and Waterford (three), all from seven games.
The battle royal in Group D continued after yesterday's eighth round of matches with Kingston College (KC) going further in front with 18 points.
Despite losing 3-0 to KC, Trench Town still hold second place with 14 points. Jonathan Grant (13 points) crushed Edith Dalton-James 9-1 to move into third ahead of idle St. George's College (11).
Another interesting contest is expected in Group E as Dunoon (15) have taken the lead with a 2-1 victory over early leaders Norman Manley (13). They are well ahead of Tivoli (eight) and St. Andrew Technical (seven).
At Clan Carthy, three-time champions Charlie Smith should have had a 2-0 advantage going into the halftime break, but Blackburn failed to get off a easy shot after getting into the box with only goalkeeper Hilkiah Jones to beat.
Upon the resumption, Kingston Technical came out with more fighting spirit and got at least three chances, which Darron DaCosta kept out of goal.
YESTERDAY'S RESULTS
- Edith Dalton-James 1 Jonathan
Grant 9
- St.
Jago 5 Waterford 0
- Trench Town 0 KC 3
- Tarrant 1 STATHS 3
- Dunoon 2 Norman Manley 1
- Kingston
High 2 Mona 1
- Kingston Technical 0 Charlie Smith 1
- St.
George's vs Cumberland did not play
