Jamaica College and Calabar High had a positive start to the second round of the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/Digicel Manning Cup as they played out an entertaining 3-3 stalemate in Group Four at Stadium East on Saturday.

Many-time champions Jamaica College entered the contest slightly favoured and had their goals from Jahmarly Bennett (10th), Nashordo Gibbs (16th), and a 75th-minute own-goal from Calabar's Damano Blackwood.

But it is Calabar, contesting the second round of the tournament for the first time in many years, that left happiest, as they got goals from Obryan Marks (4th), Kevaun Campbell (59th), and the talismanic Jaheim Rankine (90+1) to secure a share of the spoils.

With the result, both teams sit joint top of the group on a point, with Charlie Smith and St Catherine doing battle in the late group contest.

Calabar's Head coach Andrew Price was delighted at the manner in which his team stepped up to the challenge.

"We told the youngsters to continue to fight; we have been underdogs all season because people didn't expect us to be where we are right now but we came out here and we fought and showed some character. We believe in ourselves and we believe we can get results against good teams.

"I told the team we are stepping up in class and we will be up against good teams and Jamaica College is an excellent team. So to get a points out of this must be a plus for us going into the remainder of the round," Price said in a post-match interview.

It was a frantic start for the boys from Red Hills Road, as they stunned their more fancied rivals when Marks unleashed a one-time effort from a distance that caught Jamaica College's custodian Nathaniel Aiken off his line.

However, the lead lasted a mere six minutes, as Bennett pulled Jamaica College level with his fourth goal of the season from the penalty spot after Amarlie King was taken out inside the area.

The game continued at a decent tempo as Jamaica College grabbed the ascendancy six minutes later when Gibbs well-taken free kick from way out eluded all and sundry and bounced into the net for his eighth of the season.

They should have added another in the 43rd, but Gibbs dragged his right-footer wide of the target after doing well to dismiss his marker.

Minutes later, Giovanni Taylor went on the break, but he too failed to maintain his composure and fired high and wide.

The Old Hope Road boys enjoying a decent passage of play had another chance to add to their tally before the break. However, Omari Grant, in goal for Calabar, did well to deny Jabarie Howell from close range.

Both teams continued to trade blows on the resumption as Calabar pulled level on the stroke of the hour-mark when Campbell arrived in time to tap in from close range after Aiken spilled Jaiquan Stewarts's cross.

However, the 'Dark Blues' again stuck the nose in front when Gibbs' attempted cross was turned in by the hapless Blackwood to put Jamaica College 3-2 up.

With their motto stating 'the utmost to the highest,' Calabar didn't relent and just when it seemed as Jamaica College had the three points in the bag, Rankine came to the fore with a lovely left-footed drive that took a wicked deflection to steal a point for his team in time added.

Jamaica College's assistant coach Raymond Watson rued his team's wastefulness.

"It's three points lost than a point gained. I thought we had many moments to put away the game, especially in the first half and we just gave it up. We kept doing individual things instead of playing for the team and that cost us in the end," Watson noted.

Saturday's early results

Jamaica College 3, Calabar 3

Eltham 2, Excelsior 3

Calabar High School regained pole position in Zone D of the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/Digicel Manning Cup following a 1-0 win over St Andrew Technical (STATHS) in a top-of-the-table clash at their Red Hills Road base on Saturday.

Jaheim Rankine got the all-important strike in the 34th minute to extend their unbeaten run across five matches and push Calabar up to 16 points, same as STATHS, who were relegated to second with a slightly inferior goal difference. Haile Selassie (nine points), Camperdown (seven points), Vauxhall (six points) and Kingston Technical (zero point) complete the standings.

Winning coach Andrew Price welcomed the character shown by his team on this occasion to overturn their first leg loss, as players occupied unfamiliar position.

“The players are resilient; we played today without two of frontline central defenders so we had to patch up the team today and people played in positions that they don’t normally play in. But we have a system that we have been playing for the entire season and once people fit into the system, then the team will play well and they showed some depth and character today to get the three points against a very good STATHS team,” Price said.

“I think we needed to be a bit more clinical in front of goal, but our strength is our defensive structure; we have only conceded two goals so far in the entire Manning Cup, which shows that we are very sound defensively, and we want to keep it that way. We are developing a football culture here at the school and we are going to continue to work diligently to ensure that we get some success along the line,” he added.

STATHS started more purposefully and created a few half chances in the early exchanges as the teams battled heavy underfoot conditions due to afternoon showers.

The Bumper Hall-based team should have broken the deadlock approaching the 20th minute mark but Ajetai Marshall muffed his effort from close range.

Calabar got into their rhythm and went close to finding the lead at the half-hour mark, but Rankin’s left-footed shot from a distance was parried by Jaheem Williams in goal for STATHS.

It is often said if you fail to succeed try again, and Rankine did just that to put Calabar in front as he released an even more delightful strike from about 30 yards out that had Williams beaten all ends up.

Calabar went close to doubling their advantage in 41st, but Williams got down well to his right on this occasion to steer Jayden Perry’s left-footed shot from outside the 18-yard box wide.

With the score unchanged at the break, STATHS made a push for the equaliser but failed to create any meaningful chances, and frustration inevitably set in, resulting in Alexavier Gooden being sent off for a second yellow in the 54th.

The numerical advantage created a few openings for Calabar, the best of which came in the 61st Rankine, who rounded the goalkeeper but selfishly went for shot from a tight angle instead of floating a cross in for Perry.

As the game approached its end, substitute Christiano Brown thought he stole a point for STATHS when she slid one through the goalkeeper’s legs, but the goal was belatedly flagged for an offside.

That left Head coach Phillip Williams disgusted as he called out the officiating as the worst part of the encounter.

“It is unfortunate that ISSA has invested so much and the schools have invested so much and the poor officiating just takes away from the game. I think that was the worst thing today; both teams played some decent football but the officiating needs to be better.

“I think what we didn’t do today was score, we have a style of football that we play and we played that today even when we went down a man but referees need to be better in Jamaica, they are very poor,” a disappointed Williams said.

Saturday’s Manning Cup Results

Calabar 1, STATHS 0

Dunoon Park 0, Eltham 0

Ardenne High 0, Hydel High 8

Ascot High 0, Jamaica College 5

Excelsior High 15, Pembroke Hall 0

Holy Trinity 0, St George’s College 5

Camperdown 0, Vauxhall 0

Saturday’s daCosta Cup Results

Munro 0, Maggotty 0

Manchester 1, Belair 0

Glenmuir 4, Old Harbour 0

Ocho Rios 8, Ferncourt 1

Anchovy 1, Green Island 2

McGrath 0, Dinthill 0

Maldon High 4, St James 1

Irwin High 1, Cornwall College 4

Green Pond 5, Herbert Morrison 2

Grange Hill 0, Godfrey Stewart 1

Mannings 6, Little London 0

Muschett 0, Cedric Titus 13

Spot Valley 0, William Knibb 0

Happy Grove 2, Morant Bay 0

Tacius Golding 0, Charlemont 3

Cross Keys 1, DeCarteret College 5

Newell 0, Lacovia 1

B.B Coke 1, STETHS 3

Claude McKay 0, Clarendon College 7

Central 2, Edwin Allen 1

Knockalva 0, Frome Tech 8

Cambridge 1, Rusea’s High 3