By Adrian Frater, News Editor

St. George's Shemar Shelton (left) battles with Calabar's Lennox Creary for possession during Saturday's Manning Cup opener at Jarrett Park. Calabar won 3-0. - Adrian Frater

Defending Manning Cup champions Calabar and their rural counterparts Godfrey Stewart High started the defence of their respective titles in fine style, coming up with 3-0 and 1-0 wins over St. George's College and Mannings as the 2006 ISSA/Pepsi/JN Schoolboy Football got going at Jarrett Park in Montego Bay on Saturday.

Displaying irresistible form, the David Hunt-coached Calabar sounded a strong warning to all and sundry as they outgunned the St. George's team through goals from skipper Robert Palmer, Akeem Bennett and Rohan Smith. St. George's did not help their cause as they squandered a few first-half chances.

"We were not as smooth as we would have liked and we have to give credit to St. George's for making it a stiff contest," said coach Hunt. "I can't say that I am not pleased with the result although I have seen a few things that we need to work on."

In a curtain raiser that took quite some time to settle down, the Calabar team, which had the better of the early exchanges, took the lead in the 13th minute. Skipper Palmer pounced on a well-struck left-sided corner and nodded into the roof of the net, making the score 1-0.

With St. George's wasting the opportunities that came their way, Calabar extended their lead in the 31st minute. The alert Bennett took possession of the ball following a blatant error by the St. George's defence and swept the ball into the goal, making the half-time score 2-0.

In the second half, Calabar remained the dominant team, creating the vast majority of the chances. They effectively ended the contest in the 81st minute when the St. George's defence buckled under pressure and Smith fired in the final goal of the game.

TENSION-FILLED CONTEST

In the daCosta Cup match-up between champions Godfrey Stewart and their neighbours Mannings, it was a tension-filled contest as both teams played as if their lives depended on the outcome of the game. In the end, Godfrey Stewart secured victory, thanks to a terrible blunder by Mannings' goalkeeper Antonio James.

"I thought we played fairly well but I must give credit to Mannings for making it such an intriguing contest," said Godfrey Stewart coach Carl Palmer. "We see this as a good start and we will be aiming to build on this result."

In the first half, both teams got at least two good opportunities each to take the lead. Ricardo Rickettes and Evan Taylor missed two fairly easy chances for Godfrey Stewart while Draion McNain missed two chances for Mannings, who appeared the more robust of the two teams.

In the second half, it was methodical end-to-end action with both teams pressing forward resolutely in attack but standing up tall in defence. With a 0-0 score-line looking the likely result, Taylor fired a speculative shot towards goal in the 80th minute and the ball surprising slipped between the goalkeeper's legs and into in the goal, making the final score 1-0.