Robert Bailey, Freelance Reporter

Excelsior's Alanzo Adlam (second right) scores past Camperdown High's Omarro Simms, while Calvert Barkley (left) and Andre Murray of Camperdown look on during their ISSA/JN/Pepsi Manning Cup match at Stadium East yesterday. Excelsior won 1-0. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer

Excelsior booked their place in the semi-finals of the ISSA/Pepsi/ JN Manning Cup competition with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Camperdown at Stadium East yesterday.

Excelsior topped Group One with seven points, two ahead of Bridgeport, who registered a 3-0 victory over Jonathan Grant at the Prison Oval.

Excelsior, back-to-back winners 2002-03, got their all-important goal in the 54th minute when substitute Alanzo Adlam dribbled past three Camperdown defenders to fire home a powerful left-footed shot past goalkeeper Omarro Simms.

Excelsior dominated the first half but failed to capitalise on clear scoring chances. Jermaine Parris, Akeem Nelson and Paul McCallum all missed 'sitters'.

Camperdown's clearest chances fell to Mark McKoy but he shot wide of the target on both occasion.

Workmanlike performance

At the start of the second half, Leebert Halliman, coach of Excelsior, brought on Adlam and the move quickly paid off when he fired his team in front.

"Well done to my team," said Halliman. "I never expected them to reach this far. It was a workmanlike perform-ance by my team today because my captain was out so I had to make a number of changes to my team today." Halliman explained. "We are in the semi-finals now and anything from here on is a bonus."

Barrington Gaynor, coach of Camperdown, said: "I am very disappointed because we didn't play well today. But well done to the boys, they tried hard and gave their best today and that's just the way football goes."