Clarendon relieved after ‘dogfight’ Police quell tensions after hot-tempered Ben Francis KO clash at Manchester

Clarendon College’s head coach Devon Anderson felt relieved after his team emerged triumphant, by a 2-1 margin, in Saturday’s ISSA Ben Francis Cup KO quarter-final “dogfight” against Manchester High.

Chaos erupted at Manchester High, as players and spectators had to be separated in an ugly post-match incident.

The incident reportedly stemmed from an allegation that a Manchester High player spat on a Clarendon College opponent after the match, triggering heated exchanges involving players and supporters from both schools.

Members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) intervened to prevent the situation from escalating, while match officials were escorted to their dressing room amid angry reactions from spectators over the officiating.

Ten yellow cards, one red card

Seven-time champions Clarendon College, who are seeking back-to-back titles, were reduced to 10 men in a match that produced 10 yellow cards and a red card.

“We came here and knew it wouldn’t be easy. But it was a hard-fought game. Once it is an away game, you have home spectators and men on the sidelines. We had a few of us, but nevertheless, it was a dogfight,” said Anderson.

Justin Hayles and Jahiem Senior scored for Clarendon to prevent their elimination and secured a semi-final meeting with Denbigh.

Hayles broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute after dribbling past Manchester’s defenders before firing home to give Clarendon the advantage.

Manchester responded after the break, with Jahleel McKenzie finding the equaliser in the 51st minute to bring the home crowd to life.

Unsportsmanlike conduct

However, Clarendon’s task became more difficult when Hayles was sent off for unsportsmanlike conduct, leaving the visitors with 10 men.

Despite being a player down, Clarendon regained the lead in the 65th minute when Senior curled a free kick into the net.

“It was more challenging than expected because somehow they were going against us rapidly. Nevertheless, we put on a Clarendon College performance out here and were victorious in the end,” said Anderson.

Joining Clarendon in the last four are Denbigh High, Glenmuir High and Dinthill Technical.

Denbigh rally

DENBIGH High kept their championship ambitions firmly in sight after rallying to eliminate Munro College 2-1, setting up a mouth-watering semi-final clash with the defending champions.

The Clarendon-based Denbigh, who have enjoyed an impressive run in the competition, are now eyeing a place in the final as they seek to make history by qualifying for the Champions Cup for the first time.

Speaking to STAR SPORTS, Denbigh’s coach Garfield Carney said his players remained committed to the game plan despite the challenges posed by Munro.

“We prepared the boys for the encounter physically, tactically and mentally because we knew it would be another difficult match on the road. But as a team, we knew what was in front of us, so we were motivated to get the job done,” said Carney.

“We didn’t only want to qualify for the semi-finals of the Ben Francis Cup, but also qualify to represent Clarendon and the rural area in the Champions Cup for the first time.”

Champions Cup qualifiers

Champions Cup qualifiers consist of Ben Francis and Walker Cup champions, runners-up and semifinalists.