Excelsior students celebrate one of their team's goals against Jamaica College during their ISSA Pepsi/Sports Plus Manning Cup game at Jamaica College yesterday. Excelsior won 4-1.
-Ian Allen photo
Paul-Andre Walker, Staff Reporter
BRIDGEPORT reinforced their bid to make it to the second round of the ISSA Pepsi/Sports Plus Manning Cup when they notched up a 3-1 victory over Group 'A' contenders Mona at Ferdie Neita Park yesterday.
Mona was the earlier of the teams to strike in a first half that was fraught with problems for the Bridgeport team. Left midfielder Devon Evans turned target striker to provide the first goal in the 20th minute.
The game's first goal came within minutes of Bridgeport losing their main central defender, Odane Edwards, who suffered a head injury in a clash with another player and had to be sent to hospital.
Bridgeport looked to pass around the ball after that but were never able to really get behind the crunching tackles of Romane Schloss, David Laws and Decoy Williams, who were amply backed up by a Kemar Rodney. Rodney looked comfortable at sweeper and despite the beauty of Bridgeport's build-ups, he had no problems with breaking down the plays.
The second half started sprightly for the Mona team, who had no idea that their demise would have followed as quickly as it did. Mona began by employing short nifty passes whereas they had reaped success in the first half from the long ball. As a matter of fact it was a long ball that Robinson had picked up and stormed between two defenders to slot past a goalkeeper who would have done better had he left his line.
SHORT PASSES
Those short passes affected them soon enough, as they began getting caught in possession in fairly dangerous territory. On one such occasion, Jermaine Clarke, who had a brace on the day, was the recipient of a lobbed pass after Mona lost the ball in midfield. He made good use of his opportunity by lifting the ball over the onrushing 'keeper's head before heading the ball past the defender on the goalline, who was hoping to count himself a hero. At 1-1 Bridgeport came to life and Mona never followed them. Swarmiing the goal Bridgeport missed a few opportunities before Glenford Miller put them ahead with a strike that ricocheted off the Mona 'keeper's gloves.
Bridgeport didn't stop there and made sure of three points when Clarke picked up a ball that Schloss had failed to clear. Beating the only defender in his way, he coolly slid the ball past the 'keeper, who once again was advancing to stop the threat.
After the game a relieved Anthony Patrick was glad that his Bridgeport team was back on track.
"I had seen the intensity increase in the trainings so when we went behind I just told the guys to relax, pass the ball around and the goals would come. What was nagging us though was getting those chances and not putting them away. I'm happy that we were able to do this today," he said.
While Mona coach, Dwight James, was disappointed but thought the performance was no reflection on how good his team was.
"The second half was definitely scrappy for us. We stopped putting our passes together and it was just one of those bad games. I think we'll go back to the drawing board and rebound. We are still confident that we'll get to the second round though," he said.
