By PAUL-ANDRE WALKER, Staff Reporter
BRIDGEPORT REMAINED THE only team in Group 'E' to have an unbeaten record in the ISSA/Pepsi/JN Manning Cup after their 2-0 win over Eltham at the Ferdie Neita Park yesterday.
Bridgeport's victory gave them 12 points from four games, and a decided advantage over Eltham, who were beaten for the first time this season.
Andrew Dryden with a 22nd minute penalty and Kenardo Forbes' 58th minute peach, were the scorers against a team that are, for want of a better word, dangerous.
In other games from Group 'E', Kingston College returned to winning ways with a 4-0 win over Holy Trinity, and Meadowbrook played to a 0-0 draw with St. Jago.
In Group 'C', Penwood and Clan Carthy drew 2-2, while Norman Manley clipped St. Andrew Technical 1-0, and Campion had a big 4-0 win over Trench Town.
Defending champions Excelsior had their first victory in Group A when they clipped Kingston Technical 1-0.
In the group's other game, Jamaica College were big 7-0 winners over Jose Marti.
Over at Ferdie Neita Park the game began competitively without any team giving any quarter. However, it was Bridgeport who were more willing to put the ball on the floor, and their patience in making sure they kept possession for the most part paid off.
In the 22nd minute, a cross whipped in from the left flank was handled by Eltham's Camie Banner, for which he was duly punished with a well taken penalty by Dryden and a yellow card to boot.
In the second-half, Bridgeport were content to pick their opponents apart slowly. Passing the ball around for what seemed like minutes on end, before paying lovely passes that broke down a stout looking Eltham back-line on a number of occasions.
Bridgeport's second goal came when their coach Anthony Patrick quietly asked his team to step up the level, and like magic a beautiful sequence of passing ended with Forbes striking from the dead centre of the pitch some 22-yards out.
After that Bridgeport never forced the issue, but still kept their opponents, who hadn't given up the ghost, at bay.
After the game, Bridgeport's coach said if his team continued to play like they did they will do well.
"Once we bring our 'A' game it's all over," Patrick warned. "We had the game all the way so we decided to quicken and slow up the game at different times," he added
Eltham coach, Gregory Allen said his team were down but not out.
"Basically we just have to go back to the drawing board and take things from there. We hope to bounce back come our next game," he said.
Yesterday's Results
Group 'A'
Excelsior 1 Kingston Tech. 0
Jamaica College 7 Jose Marti 0
Group 'C'
Penwood 2 Clan Carthy 2
Norman Manley 1 St. Andrew Tech. 0
Campion 4 Trench Town 0
Group 'E'
Holy Trinity 0 Kingston College 4
Bridgeport 2 Eltham 0
Meadowbrook 0 St. Jago 0
Today's Games
Group 'B'
Dunoon vs. Charlie Smith
Calabar vs. Ardenne
Tarrant vs. Vauxhall
Group 'D'
Edith Dalton-James vs. Kingston High
St. George's vs. Tivoli
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