Jamaica College (JC) once again demonstrated why they are a force to be reckoned with, as they made light work of rivals Kingston College (KC) with a comfortable 3-0 win in their ISSA/Digicel Group A quarterfinal encounter at Stadium East on Tuesday.
Led by Nashordo Gibbs’ 18th-minute penalty and a pair of clinical strikes from Jamoy Dennis (31st and 33rd) in quick succession, Jamaica College controlled the one-sided affair from start to finish, rarely allowing Kingston College to find a foothold.
With the win, Jamaica College moved into pole position in the group on four points, relegating Kingston College into second on three points. Tivoli Gardens (three points) kept their hopes of a semi-final berth alive with a surprise 3-1 win over reigning champions Mona High (one point) in the other group contest.
Jamaica College’s Head coach Davion Ferguson, expressed delight at the outcome.
“We understand the competition in terms of how we prepare to peak at the right time. Today was a difficult game, the scoreline might seem as if it was easy but it was a tough game because we played three days ago, and the key was just to get the boys recovered to come here and deliver a good performance.
“At this stage of the competition, it is not about the number in terms of goals, but more about continuity to ensure we consistently secure the three points,” Ferguson said.
His counterpart Vassell Reynolds, also had a positive outlook.
“I don’t think the scoreline was a true reflection of the game, but congrats to JC, they punished us. I thought that we gave away two easy silly goals, we weren’t concentrating, especially on the set plays. So there is no reason to be disappointed or hard on the boys, we just made some errors and we paid for them so it is just about refocusing and come again on Friday,” Reynolds said.
Jamaica College asserted their intent early, with a warning shot just seven minutes in as Donte Logan’s long-range effort forced Kingston College’s goalkeeper Malique Williams to tip the ball over the crossbar.
Excelsior in Group B action against Campion College which served as the curtain-raiser of the double header.
Dennis, an ever-present threat, continued to test Williams, firing off a quick shot in the ninth minute from Jabarie Howell’s pass, and then a powerful strike from just outside the box four minutes later, both of which were kept out by the custodian.
However, Jamaica College’s breakthrough inevitably came when Gibbs, a former Kingston College player, converted from the penalty spot after Jamone Lyle drew a crucial handball from Dejuan Green inside the area.
That opener laid the foundation for what would become a commanding performance as Kingston College's best chance of the game came in the 27th minute when Damaine Smith delivered a pinpoint cross to Deshawn Byfield, whose effort from point blank range was kept out by an alert Taywane Lynch in goal for Jamaica College.
Jamaica College quickly doubled their lead just four minutes later. Gibbs slipped past his marker and sent a precise pass to Dennis, who calmly slotted the ball past Williams to make it 2-0.
Barely two minutes later, Giovani Taylor capitalized on Kingston College’s defence that appeared momentarily disoriented from a quick free-kick, sending another slick pass to Dennis, who made no mistake in finishing his brace and putting Jamaica College 3-0 up.
The Old Hope Road boys again went close through Dyllan John, whose shot hit the upright in the 40th minute, adding to Kington College’s mounting frustrations.
Still, the North Street boys tried to fight back, with Shareef Ricketts attempting a powerful left-footed strike from distance in stoppage time, but Lynch proved equal to the task to preserve the shutout heading into the break.
The second half was a quieter affair as Jamaica College shifted gears to control possession and manage their lead.
Though showing more positive signs in attack, Kingston College’s struggles were compounded when Green received a second yellow card in the 86th minute, as they not only finished the game with 10 men but will be missing his presence in midfield when they take on Mona on Friday.
Tuesday’s Results
Hydel 2, St Catherine 0
Campion College 2, Excelsior 0
Jamaica College 3, Kingston College 0
Mona High 1, Tivoli Gardens 3
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
Jamaica College extended their unbeaten run in the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/Digicel Manning Cup as they secured a hard-fought 2-2 stalemate with Excelsior in an intriguing Zone F encounter at Ashenheim Stadium on Thursday.
Dyllan John’s brace in the 50th and 88th minutes rescued a point for the many-time champions after Kimarly Scott (53rd) and Damarley Williams (58th) got on the scoresheet for Excelsior.
With the point, Jamaica College inched up to seven points atop the standing, one point ahead of Ascot High, who moved to six points after they edged Pembroke Hall 1-0 in the curtain-raiser of the double-header courtesy of Oshawny Facey’s 61st-minute strike.
Excelsior sit third on four points, while Bridgeport and Pembroke Hall remain pointless on the five-team standing.
Jamaica College’s head coach, Davion Ferguson, took heart from the performance.
“I’m proud of the performance that we put on. We came up against a very good Excelsior team that got their tactics right in the first half, but we reacted well in the second half, and I think we should have won the game,” Ferguson said.
“I didn’t have to motivate my players for this game; they have the quality and they know what is at stake. But like I said, I think Excelsior are a very good team, they gave us a challenge, and I think we responded well,” he added.
Excelsior were more lively at the start and almost broke the deadlock in the fourth minute when Shadeko Wizzard unleashed a stinging left-footer that rocketed off the left upright.
Jamaica College responded soon after through Giovanni Taylor, who got through on goal in the seventh minute, but his effort was kept out by Jamari Gordon, who left his line well.
Wizzard was again left cursing his luck in the 14th minute as he rifled another effort from an angle that burst through Nathaniel Aiken’s hands, but the ball came back off the crossbar.
Jamaica College also went close to finding the go-ahead goal when Nashordo Gibbs’ went on the break in the 41st minute but failed to beat Gordon’s outstretched leg as the score remained goalless at the break.
The ‘Dark Blues’ maintained the momentum on the resumption and found the lead five minutes in when Gordon strayed well outside his area and lost possession to John, who capitalised with an effort from distant that trickled across the line.
Excelsior pulled level three minutes later when Scott finished his third goal of the season with aplomb after Jamaica College failed to clear their line from Wizzard's cross.
The Mountain View Avenue team then surged ahead five minutes later when Williams went on a break down the left channel and had enough time and space to set and slot through Aiken’s legs.
Just when it seemed as if Excelsior had the points in the bag, John broke their hearts as he converted from the penalty spot after Jabari Howell's driven freekick was handled inside the area.
Excelsior’s Head coach, Keon Broderick, welcomed the point but felt they deserved more.
“I’m a bit disappointed that we couldn’t come out here with the three points, but, nonetheless, one point away from home is always good. A point at Jamaica College is definitely something to cheer about,” he noted.
Thursday's results
Jamaica College 2, Excelsior 2
Ascot High 1, Pembroke Hall 0
Wolmer's Boys 8, St Mary's College 0
Edith Dalton 0, Denham Town 1
Tivoli Gardens High 1, St Jago 0
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