Paul-Andre Walker, Staff Reporter
Wolmer's striker Andre Sharpe (right) stumbles under pressure from Jamaica College defender Andrew Mendez during their ISSA/Pepsi/JN Manning Cup second-round game at the Spring Complex yesterday. The game ended 2-2. - RICARDO MAKYN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
ST. ANDREW Technical High School (STATHS) put themselves in pole position after coming out the only winners of yesterday's ISSA/Pepsi/JN Manning Cup Group One second-round games at the Spring Complex.
STATHS jumped to three points and the top of the table after a 1-0 victory over Waterford.
STATHS had to wait late for their victory as Troy Clue grabbed an 84th-minute goal that wasn't without controversy.
"I'm very disappointed with the no call before the goal. It was a clear foul," said Waterford's coach, Everton James, referring to a push on one of his defenders that went unnoticed by the referee.
"We tried to wear down STATHS and it worked but we failed to convert and it's going to be really hard now because we'll have to play catch up," he said.
However, STATHS's coach, Keith Nichols, thought his team should have done better than a 1-0 victory.
"The centre forwards keep letting me down. It is full time for them to come into their own," said Nichols.
ENTHRALLING ENCOUNTER
In the second game of the day, which turned out to be an enthralling encounter, Wolmer's Boy's blew a 2-0 lead to give Jamaica College (JC) a valuable second-round point with a 2-2 result.
Wolmer's thought they had the victory in the bag when Kenroy McKay opened the scoring in the sixth minute and Andre Sharp added to it a minute later.
However, a second-half blitz from JC led to a 46th minute strike from Colin Gallimore and a good goal from Anthony Pinnock in the 60th that sent the Old Hope Road 'Blues' into euphoria.
"Basically, after leading 2-0, one has to be a little disappointed. I don't think it has anything to do with our fitness level but with a breakdown of discipline," said Wolmer's coach, Vassel Reynolds, explaining the contrast between his team's performance in the first half versus the second.
JC's coach, Alfred Henry, stopped short of calling the game a triumph, saying: "The process continues because we are trying to develop the total person and the guys showed a lot of character and we can't ask for anything more than that."
YESTERDAY'S RESULTS
STATHS 1 Waterford 0
Wolmer's 2 Jamaica College 2
TODAY'S GAMES
At the Spring Complex
Bridgeport vs Charlie Smith at 1:00 p.m.
Tivoli vs. Norman Manley at 3:00 p.m.
