Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter

Wolmer's goalkeeper Jamie Roberts attempts to collect the ball while challeged by Bridgeport's Theo Brown in ISSA/Pepsi/JN Manning Cup action at Ferdie Neita Park yesterday. Looking on (from left) are André Jackson, Kevin Brown and Atiba Morgan. Bridgeport won the game 1-0. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer

BRIDGEPORT ASSURED themselves a place in the second round of the ISSA/Pepsi/JN Manning Cup at the expense of many-time champions Kingston College following a 1-0 win over group leaders Wolmer's at Ferdie Neita Park yesterday.

Theo Brown netted the all-important goal for the St. Catherine team in the 83rd minute. The lanky player beat the Wolmer's back line to a free kick, whipped across the goal and the effort, which curled off the inside of his right boot, eluded Wolmer's custodian Jamie Roberts, despite the keeper having got his hands to the effort.

"We really needed three points here today and I'm very pleased with the effort from the guys. We went out there and worked for it even in the absence of our captain," said Bridgeport coach Anthony Patrick.

Back to drawingboard

"Now we'll go back to the drawingboard and try to get ourselves a spot in the Walker Cup in the final fixture of the round on Friday," he said.

In an encounter which lacked clear opportunities at goal, Wolmer's captain, Nicholas Beckett, surely looked to have snatched all three points just minutes before the decisive strike but his follow-up attempt, a cracker from his own free kick effort, skimmed off the top of the crossbar. The result was a disappointing one for Wolmer's coach Vassell Reynolds though his team is already on 17 points and through to the second round of the competition.

Losing a habit

"This result was a very disappointing one for us. Losing is a habit. We would have liked to finish the second round unbeaten and secure our spot in the Walker Cup," he said.

"I think in the last quarter of the game we lost our shape a bit and left some spaces in the back which the Bridgeport team managed to utilise," he said.

With a game in hand against Kingston College, Bridgeport are now on 15 points. The North Street team beat Ardenne 3-1 in the day's other fixture and moved to 11 points but will not be able to make up the distance between themselves and Bridgeport and advance.

YESTERDAY'S RESULTS

Group B:

Mona 1 Norman Manley 7, Spanish Town 5 Edith Dalton James 2.

Group D:

Meadowbrook 1 Eltham 1.

Group F:

Kingston College 3 Ardenne 1, Bridgeport 1 Wolmer's 0.