ANDREW SMITH/PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
Eltham's Shevon Brown avoids a sliding tackle from Kingston College's Anthony Brownie
during their ISSA/Pepsi Manning Cup clash at Kingston College's North Street campus
yesterday. Eltham won 1-0.Daraine Luton, Freelance Writer
FIRST-TIME entrants Eltham High rained on Kingston College's purple parade yesterday, beating the many-time champions 1-0 for their second consecutive win in the ISSA/Pepsi Manning Cup competition.
Captain Dwayne Hunter netted a header in the 32nd minute to break the nil-all deadlock and from there on helped his team keep the Purples at arm's length until the final whistle.
The win pushes Eltham to joint top of group E alongside Bridgeport with six points. Kingston College, who won their opening game 2-0 over St. Jago, are joint third with Holy Trinity following yesterday's defeat.
Eltham coach Gregory Allen said his players went to Kingston College with three points on their minds.
"We knew we could beat them but we also knew we had to frustrate them. The team played a very good game and that's what gave us the victory," Allen said.
"We are happy for the three points and from here on we will be taking it one day at a time. We will play Holy Trinity on Tuesday and we hope to take three points there before we go up against Bridgeport," added Allen.
ELTHAM DEFENCE STRONG
Kingston College dominated the opening 15 minutes in both halves but found the Eltham defence difficult to pierce. And even when the Purples got past the defenders, the attackers, for the most part, failed to test Eltham's goalkeeper Kelso Cousins.
Eltham, though, did not just stand around and watch the ball. They made it into an exciting spectacle with some daunting counterattacking runs and some crushing tackles on their opponents.
Hunter stood out as best attacker on the park and were it not for excellent ball-reading skills demonstrated by Kingston College's central defender, Leeford Green, Hunter might have helped his team to at least one more goal.
Trevor 'Jumpy' Harris, coach of Kingston College, thought his team played well but felt his attackers lacked the killer instinct on the day.
"Our defenders played well - it was just one lapse in the defence that cost us the goal. We created chances and we just didn't put them away," Harris said.
But despite the disappointment of going down on home soil, Harris said: "We are Fortis ... that is what we are. We may fall but we never yield. We will be back," he promised.
