Peta-Gaye Clachar/Staff Photographer
Calabar High School's Avon Wright kicks the ball as he is held by Excelsior High's Phillip Biggs during the Walker Cup KO schoolboy football final at Constant Spring football field yesterday.

Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter

There was no result in yesterday's ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel Walker Cup KO schoolboy football final between Excelsior and Calabar, as bad light forced the calling off of the game midway a tense penalty shoot-out, following a 1-1 draw in regulation and then extra-time.

In the dark, muddy conditions at the Constant Spring Complex, which like much of the Corporate Area had been affected by persistent showers, neither Calabar nor Exclesior showed any signs of intending to miss a penalty. With both custodians clearly unable to judge the flight of the ball, the referee was forced to blow off the match with the penalty shoot-out tied at 8-8.

The match will now be replayed on the 29th of November if none of the teams are involved in the Manning Cup final, or on December 3, should any of them reach the final.

On a soggy pitch, which saw the ball often held up by the water, the teams had played exciting and competitive football.

Calabar struck first taking the lead in the fifth minute as Richard Lewis, who scored in the semi-final, took advantage of a poorly cleared corner by the back line to boot past Excelsior goalkeeper Chevon Brown.

Coming out of the locker room a motivated team, Excelsior went actively in search of an equaliser. Leading by example, captain Leon Powell saw his 48th minute free kick punched.

At the other end Calabar's stand-out player, Aljay Cole, threatened to extend the lead after finding himself unmarked in front of goal from a deflected cross but despite beating Brown, saw his attempt cleared off the line in the 56th minute.

Turn for the worst

The Red Hills Road team's fortunes, however, took a turn for the worst when defender Daine Ewers received a second yellow card and left the pitch in the 58th minute.

Taking more encouragement from their numerical advantage, Excelsior launched a series of raids and got the result they need in the 61st minute.

A weighted through ball from Powell released Juvanne Benjamin and he easily slotted wide of an onrushing goalkeeper to bring the scores level.

"It's tough for you to have asked for a better final. There were a couple of obstacles for us at the start of the game and they scored against the run of play, but the team recovered to play an excellent game," said Excelsior coach Leebert Halliman.

"It was a very good final, I think it really showed what coaching was all about. It was an excellent display by both teams," said Calabar's coach Alrick Clarke.