Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter

Calabar High School's Richard Lewis (right) dribbles past Jamaica College goalie Kirkland Hamilton (on ground) on the way to scoring his team's second goal, while Jamaica College defender Marlon Thompson reacts during the semi-final of the ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel Walker Cup schoolboy football knockout competition, at Constant Spring football field yesterday. Calabar won 2-0. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer.

Defending champions Calabar High School proved to be too strong as, once again, they relegated Jamaica College (JC) to the role of maid-in-waiting, following a 2-0 victory in the ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel Walker Cup semi-final at the Constant Spring Complex yesterday.

The Red Hills Road team joined six-time champions Excelsior, who earlier came from behind to tag Eltham 2-1 in their semi-final. The final will take place at Constant Spring this Friday at 3 p.m.

Having been denied their first title in two prior finals by Calabar, JC were hoping that things might just have swung their way this time around, but the green and black clad boys of 'Rabalac' had other ideas.

Calabar went on the offensive from the opening whistle and could have taken the lead twice in the first half had JC goalkeeper Kirkland Hamilton not been alert at the 24th minute, and Derrick Wilson not rolled the attempt just wide of the target in the 38th, after he had beaten Hamilton.

Industrious effort

Following a scoreless first half, the industrious Calabar reaped the rewards for their efforts in the 74th minute as Cole, sprinting onto a square played across a ball-gazing defensive unit, easily lobbed a stranded Hamilton to give the cup-holders the lead.

However, not even five minutes had passed before the Old Hope Road team threatened to pull themselves on level terms. A failed attempted clearance by the Calabar defence saw the ball ending up at the feet of Adrian Christian.

But the player, no more than two yards away from goal and facing an open net, somehow dragged his shot wide of the target.

JC were made to pay the price for that missed opportunity in the 83rd minute, as Richard Lewis made the best of a defensive lapse by Marlon Thompson, before rounding goalkeeper Hamilton to finish off the game.

"It was a competitive game, we were just not as cohesive, based on the fact that we missed a couple of our regular starters," said JC's manager Ian Forbes. "We could have been more aggressive offensively and should have tightened up a bit in our defensive play."

Better to come

Calabar coach Alrick Clarke was content with his team's performance, but still believes there is better to come.

"It's was a semi-final of champions, this is what we prepare the team for, we played it around and basically looked to wear them down," he said. "I think the team had a very good first half, we did a lot of passing and created a few chances, it really wasn't too hard to motivate the team for this game."

In the earlier encounter, Eltham fired their way into the lead courtesy of a Dwayne Williams scorcher from about 16 yards

However, a blistering free kick to goal from Excelsior Leon Powell forced Eltham 'keeper Francois Pusey to cough up an attempted save, which saw substitute Nico Brett, who had just taken the field, on hand to put away the 28th minute rebound.

Another substitute, Juvanne Benjamin, sealed the issue for Excelsior as he broke free from the Eltham back line before putting the ball coolly past an advancing Pusey.

Good play

Leebert Halliman, Excelsior's coach, said: "They played well from the first minute. We never really worried about going behind and we made some crucial changes that really won us the game."

Eltham's coach, Gregory Allen, said: "We got the early goal, but even so I think we were flat coming out and when they equalised, the defensive unit fell to pieces."

Excelsior High School's Juvanne Benjamin (centre) plays the ball with a high boot in a challenge against Eltham High's goalkeeper, Francois Pusey, during the semi-final of the ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel Walker Cup schoolboy football knockout competition, at Constant Spring Football Field yesterday. Excelsior won 2-1. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer.