Adrian Frater, News EditorWESTERN BUREAU:
FORMER CHAMPIONS Herbert Morrison High School qualified for the inter-zone round of the 2005 ISSA/Pepsi/Jamaica National daCosta Cup their first time since 1996, yesterday when they blanked Maldon High School 5-0 in their crucial rescheduled Zone A fixture in Montego Bay.
By virtue of the win, the Herbert Morrison team, which was awarded full points for last Thursday's game in which Irwin High School failed to show up, completed its preliminary fixtures with 29 points. They beat out Anchovy (28) for the second place in the group and claimed the right to join zone winners Cornwall College (33) in the inter-zone stage.
"It has been a long, hard struggle for us, but we are happy that we are finally there," said an elated Clifton Kellier, the coach of the Herbert Morrison team. "We now need to quickly refocus and set our sights on the inter-zone round, where we are again hoping to do well."
Yesterday's game ended a difficult week for the Herbert Morrison team, which was faced with two must-win games to keep its championship hopes alive.
They were frustrated last Thursday when Irwin failed to show for the first of the two games. However, their frustration turned to joy when they were subsequently awarded full points for the game.
HERBERT'S STAR
In yesterday's game, skipper Omar Blake, who scored two goals and engineered another, was the star for a Herbert Morrison team which was in a no-nonsense mood. Jermaine Salmon, Richard Henry and substitute Roshane Forrest got the other goals.
After being kept in check in the early stages of the game, Herbert Morrison broke loose in the 33rd minute. On a smart dribble goalward, Blake clipped a neat pass to Salmon inside the goal area and he calmly slotted home, making the score 1-0.
Spurred on by the success, Herbert Morrison added two more goals in four minutes. In the 36th minute Blake fired a vicious, close-range volley over the head of the helpless Maldon goalkeeper and a minute later he struck again, dancing around the goalkeeper and firing home.
With time ticking away in the half, Henry made it 4-0 for Herbert Morrison in the 45th minute when he too danced around goalkeeper Eldon Levy and scored easily, giving his team a commanding half-time lead.
Realising that their mission was all but accomplished, the Herbert Morrison team eased up in the second half, abandoning their goal-hunting urgency for more flair. They created more scoring opportunities, especially skipper Blake, but the finishing lacked the precision of the first half.
However, Herbert Morrison none-theless managed a final goal in the 73rd minute when substitute Forrest caught the Maldon defence napping and fired home gleefully, making the final score 5-0.
