Howard Walker, Staff Reporter
Elltham High's Dwayne Hunter and Calabar's Dwayne Hunter in their 2-2 draw. - IAN ALLEN STAFF/PHOTOGRAPHER
CALABAR HIGH AND St. Catherine High clash in the feature game of the Group 2 ISSA/Pepsi/JN Manning Cup at 3:00 pm today at the Spring Complex, after Eltham High tackle Mona at 1:00 p.m.
Calabar will be gunning to set things straight after blowing a two-goal advantage to draw 2-2 with Eltham last Friday, squandering two valuable points that could be costly in the end.
St. Catherine High, with a 2-0 win over Mona, lead the group with three points, two ahead of Calabar and Eltham on one point each.
The green and black-clad Calabar, two-time winner in 1943 and 1977, is the most prolific team, banging in 43 goals, one ahead of Charlie Smith on 42 and Tivoli Gardens with 39 goals.
VALUABLE PLAYERS
The David Hunt-coached boys will once again rely on captain Robert Palmer, the skilful Ramone Plamer, Marlon Smith, Akeem Bennett and the speedy Cleyon Brown to secure three valubale points.
St. Catherine will be no pushovers and could seriously dent Calabar's dream of lifting the coveted Manning Cup Trophy.
St. Catherine, which lost only twice this season, 2-1 to Wolmers and 3-2 to Donald Quarrie, know another win would almost seal a spot in the semi-finals. They have scored 24 times from 11 games, which is 19 less than Calabar's tally. But in today's encounter that difference will not be important, as it will all boil down to the team that wants it more on the day.
Kemar Bennett, scorer of both goals against Mona along with Duvan Dilworth, Fabian Gordon and Jermaine Francis will once again lead the St. Catherine charge.
In the curtain raiser, this year's surprise package, Eltham take on last year's surprise team Mona High.
Eltham, in their first year in the competition, topped Group E ahead of the highly-touted Bridgeport and Kingston College and showed that they are for real by snatching a dramatic draw with title favourites Calabar.
