- Paul Reid photo
Frome Technical's top scorer Sedane McCreath (right) dribbles away from Cedric Titus' captain Marvin Shared in the first half of their ISSA Pepsi/Sports Plus daCosta Cup inter-zone match at Frome on Wednesday. Shared was later shown a red card by referee Steve Jarrett for stomping on Atrio Atland. Frome won 1-0, handing Cedric Titus their second loss of the round and ending their chances of advancing to the next round.
Paul A. Reid, Staff Reporter
WESTERN BUREAU:
THE STAGE is set for a memorable third set of matches in the inter-zone round of the ISSA Pepsi/Sports Plus daCosta Cup schoolboy football competition this afternoon as six of the eight places in the next round could be decided.
The top eight teams, the six group winners plus the two top second-place teams will advance to the quarter-finals of both the daCosta Cup and Ben Francis knock-out competitions.
First round games in the Ben Francis KO will be played on Wednesday, while the quarter-finals of the daCosta Cup are set to start on Saturday, November 6 and will continue through to November 13.
The round will not be complete until Monday, however, as two games are scheduled former champions Dinthill Technical and Garvey Maceo will meet in a rescheduled game at Prison Oval while Seaforth and Old Harbour will replay their aborted game at a venue in Kingston to be announced.
With Seaforth leading 1-0 after minutes, the match was aborted due to crowd violence and George Forbes, compe-tition's officer for ISSA, told The Gleaner yesterday that Diwayne Brown, whose dismissal from the game sparked the disruption, has been banned for two games.
FINAL CHANCE
Seaforth have won their only game in this phase so far, a big 4-0 thrashing of Brimmer Vale.
Today 18 of the 24 teams will have a final chance to qualify for the next round after six teams, one from each group, are yet to score a point after two games and are out of the running.
Of the 18 in with a chance of making it to the next phase, Godfrey Stewart High have the best chance as they only need a point from their Group One game against Brown's Town at Addison Park.
The Carl 'Long Life' Palmer-coached Godfrey Stewart have won both games played so far and are the only team on maximum six points after upsetting former champions Cornwall College 1-0 at Frome on Wednesday.
The Sav-la-Mar school will be travelling out of Westmoreland for only the second time this season, after drawing 1-1 against Black River in a Zone C game earlier.
With a chance of advancing, Brown's Town are expected to come at them with all cylinders firing as a win would see them increasing their chances of taking one of the eight places.
A number of other interesting clashes are scheduled for this afternoon with Mile Gully and Lennon, tied on four points each, meeting in a Group Three decider at the Porus Community Centre and the same situation exists in Group Four where Clarendon College and Christiana will meet at Jamalco.
DEAD-HEAT
The Barry Watson-coached Mile Gully have conceded just two goals all season, one coming in a meaningless game in the first round. They are in a dead-heat situation with Lennon on identical statistics and a draw could leave the organisers with some work to do.
Clarendon lead Christiana on goal-difference and a draw would favour them, unless Bellefield beat STETHS by three clear goals or more. Bellefield have two points from two games both draws and a big win over STETHS coupled with a draw at JAMALCO could see them snatching an automatic spot.
TODAY'S GAMES
Group 1 Grange Hill vs Cornwall at Jarrett Park at 3:30 p.m.
Godfrey Stewart vs Browns Town at Addison Park
Group 2 Frome vs William Knibb at Jarrett Park at 1:00 p.m.
Black River vs Cedric Titus at Elliston Wakeland Centre
Group 3 Porus vs Munro at Mile Gully
Mile Gully vs Lennon at Porus
Group 4 Bellefield vs STETHS at STETHS
Christiana vs Clarendon at Jamalco
Group 5 Seaforth vs Glenmuir at Brancourt
Brimmer Vale vs Old Harbour at Dinthill
Group 6 -Titchfield vs Garvey Maceo at Carder Park
Annotto Bay vs Dinthill at Drax Hall
All games will start at 3:00 p.m. except the Jarrett Park double header.
Brown's Town clip Grange Hill
Devon Evans, Gleaner Writer
OCHO RIOS:
BROWN'S TOWN Comprehensive ran out 2-1 winners over Grange Hill in their inter-zone round game of the Pepsi Sport Plus daCosta Cup football competition at Drax Hall on Wednesday.
Oshane Smith and Shawn Hemmings were on target for Browns Town, while Janique Thomas scored for Grange Hill.
Brown's Town took the lead in the 16th minute through central defender Smith, who overlapped well to beat goalkeeper Oshane Jones with a good shot.
Grange Hill replied with some skilful play and missed a chance to equalise in the 27th minute when a shot from Delano Crooks from close range went over the bar.
Grange Hill continued to pressure Brown's Town and got the equaliser in the 39th minute through a goal from Thomas, which gave goalkeeper Brian Knowles no chance and ensured that the half ended 1-1.
ON THE RUN
Brown's Town came into the second half looking a much different team and had their opponents on the run from early. A diving header from Nicholas Higgins hit the crossbar and rebounded into play in the 55th minute to deny Brown's Town from taking the lead.
Brown's Town continue to enjoy the better play and after several attempts at goal, finally found the back of the net in the 67th minute when Shawn Hemmings collected a left-sided cross and blasted the ball past captain and goalkeeper Jones of Grange Hill.
