Adrian Frater, News EditorWESTERN BUREAU:
IN AN afternoon in which many-time champions Rusea's High School bowed out of contention for the 2005 ISSA/Pepsi/Jamaica National daCosta Cup, Anchovy High School grabbed a lifeline when they handed Muschett High a 3-0 defeat in their crucial Zone A fixture in Wakefield, Trelawny.
However, while Anchovy managed to knock out William Knibb by virtue of their superior goal-difference after both teams finished on 28 points, they are not yet assured of joining early qualifiers Cornwall College (34) in the inter-zone round as they can still be caught by Herbert Morrison who have two outstanding games.
The crucial match-up between Herbert Morrison (23) and Maldon, which was billed as one of the feature games of the afternoon, was not played because of a waterlogged field. With this game against Maldon and another outstanding match-up against lowly-placed Irwin High, the Herbert Morrison team could complete their fixtures with 29 points, which would see them edging out Anchovy.
ENVIABLE POSITION
"We have found ourselves in a most enviable position as we have our fate in our own hands," said Clifton Kellier, the coach of the Herbert Morrison team. "We just need to get full points from Maldon and Irwin and our place in the next round will be secured."
In their final match at Jarrett Park, Zone A champions Cornwall College ended their preliminary campaign in a lukewarm manner, battling to a 3-3 draw against St. James High (13). Cornwall College had won the first leg game 2-0.
Over in Zone B, the 'Russians' failed in their mission as they were beaten 1-0 by Grange Hill. By virtue of their win, Grange Hill joined early qualifiers Frome Technical in the inter-zone round from the group.
In the Zone A match-up against Irwin, which was played on a soggy field in Irwin, the Cassman Williams-coached William Knibb were all business as they went all-out in search of the maximum three points which would have kept them in contention had not Anchovy defeated Muschett.
SHEER RUTHLESSNESS
Displaying sheer ruthlessness in attack, the William Knibb team fired in four unanswered goals through Cordell Simpson (two), Lance Laing and Vivroy Kirlew. However, their less than impressive goalscoring form, which saw them scoring 25 goals and conceding 13, was inferior to the 34 for and seven against of Anchovy.
"We had a number of games in which we fooled around and did not get as much goals as we should have," said a disappointed Williams, as news filtered through that Anchovy had beaten Muschett.
"It is a hard way to go out of the competition but it is all our fault. We just did not get as many goals as we should in our earlier games."
After dominating the early exchanges and forcing Irwin on the defensive, William finally opened their account in the 27th minute. Simpson won possession on the right flank and powered his way between two defenders before rocketing a savage shot past goalkeeper Davar Hemmings' near post, making the score 1-0.
In the second half, William Knibb stepped up a gear and fired in three goals in five minutes. In the 62nd minute, Laing broke free down the middle and left the goalkeeper for dead with a perfect lob, which struck the back of the net to make the score 2-0. Three minutes later, Kirlew?s sweet dribble took him through the defence before he calmly knocked the ball home to make the score 3-0.
With the fight clearly knocked out of Irwin, William Knibb sealed the issue in the 67th minute when the hard-working Simpson fired in his second goal of the game from close range, making the final score 4-0.
