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