Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter

Excelsior's Juvanie Benjamin (second right) celebrates with teammates after scoring against Camperdown in their Digicel/ISSA/Pepsi Manning Cup encounter at Excelsior on Saturday. The home team won 1-0. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

Unbeaten Eltham and Bridgeport, two of the most dominant St Catherine teams over the last few years, will face off in the ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel Manning Cup at Eltham High School today.

The group D fixture pits Eltham, winners of the Walker Cup in 2006, against Bridgeport, 2001 and 2007 Manning Cup winners.

Early group leaders

With just two games played so far, Bridgeport are the early group leaders on six points ahead of José Marti, on goal difference, while Eltham are in third place by virtue of a 0-0 draw with Innswood in their opening encounter.

Second-place José Marti will be keen to maintain their positive start when they host Cumberland, while Innswood and Jonathan Grant, both winless so far, will be looking to get their first points of the season when they play at Chedwin Park.

In another battle of unbeaten teams, St Andrew Technical (STATHS) and Kingston College (KC), favourites to advance, battle for early bragging rights in group D.

Neither team has been forced to really stretch its legs as yet, KC registering early 2-0 and 9-0 wins over Edith Dalton James and Kingston High, respectively, while STATHS have cruised with 2-0 and 3-0 victories over Penwood and Edith Dalton.

In a very competitive group C, defending champions Jamaica College (JC), at the top of the table with four points, will look to push for some breathing space when they tackle Denham Town.

Three-horse race

Wolmer's, in second place behind Jonathan Grant on goal difference, will also look to stay on par when they host Mona. While Wolmer's and JC are favourites to advance, there have been strong indications that it could indeed be a three-horse race as Jonathan Grant have been very competitive in the early goings, holding both teams to a draw.

In the group's other game, Jonathan Grant will tackle Vauxhall.