Garvey Maceo appeared poised to claim all three points against Central High after racing to a brisk two-goal lead in their Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/Wata Group B quarterfinal clash in May Pen.

However, a resilient Central High team clawed their way back, forcing Garvey Maceo to settle for a 2-2 stalemate and a share of the spoils in a dramatic Clarendon derby on Saturday.

Antwone Wright (36th) and Ean Noel (60th) were responsible for Central High’s comeback after Omarion O’Brian (1st) and Everald Swaby (8th) did the early damage for Garvey Maceo.

With the result, things remain evenly poised in the group as all four teams—Garvey Maceo, Central High, Ocho Rios, and Munro College—are on a point each in their hunt for the top two spots to the semi-finals.

Garvey Maceo’s Head coach Lester Hibbert, expressed disappointment with his team’s inability to hold onto their early lead but acknowledged Central’s resilience.

“It is just a few goals that resulted in the two goals that we conceded that cost us the three points. But apart from that, the boys played brilliantly; we just have to shake this off, regroup, and come again for our next game on Tuesday,” Hibbert said.

The match started with a bang, as poor defending from Central High allowed O’Brian to break the deadlock with a firm finish from just inside the 18-yard box with a mere 15 seconds on the clock.

Just seven minutes later, Swaby doubled the lead with a well-placed left-footed strike from Christopher Mundle’s cross, sending Garvey Maceo’s supporters into a frenzy. With such an explosive start, it looked as though the game might be a lopsided affair, with Garvey Maceo controlling possession and Central struggling to keep up.

But as the first half progressed, Central High settled into their rhythm and began pushing back, eager to avoid an early defeat in this critical quarterfinal contest.

Their persistence paid off in the 36th minute when Wright again got in behind Garvey Maceo’s high defensive line and finished a precision shot beyond custodian Garfield Tomlinson to reignite Central’s hopes.

That goal energized Central, who ended the half with renewed confidence and a more organized defence.

Central maintained their momentum on the resumption and eventually pulled level at the hour mark when Dellan Briscoe placed a pass on a platter for Noel, who finished a firm left-footer that left the Garvey Maceo fans stunned.

Garvey Maceo regained their rhythm and both teams pressed for the winning goal but were unable to make the most of their few half chances and had to settle for a point.

For Central High’s Jermaine Douglas, the draw felt like a victory after a difficult start.

“It was the worst possible start for us; the last thing you can do is concede in the first minute, and we managed to do that, and then we again conceded after that. But I think once we settled we made better decisions in the final third and we probably should have won this game,” Douglas noted.