Calabar rebound with 3-0 defeat of Charlie

Calabar rebounded from their defeat to Kingston College over the weekend with a 3-0 beating of Charlie Smith in Group A of the schoolboy ISSA Manning Cup football competition at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex yesterday.

Javel Watson, Fitzroy McLeod, and Kimani Thompson got the goals for the Andrew Price-coached Calabar, and Price said it was an encouraging result against one of the group's top contenders.

"We had an opportunity to bounce back from the defeat to KC. We played similar to how we played against KC but were more clinical.

"Charlie Smith are always tough. So to go into the Jungle and get three points, three goals, and a clean sheet must be encouraging.

"We just want the players to keep their feet on the ground and take it one game at a time," Price said.

After a competitive start, Calabar got the breakthrough thanks to Watson's effort 20 minutes into the game.

The Red Hills Road-based school increased their advantage in the match when McLeod turned in a header 10 minutes after the break.

As Charlie Smith's resistance waned, Thompson nodded home from a corner two minutes before the end to seal the win.

Hydel, Calabar, and Kingston College are all tied on six points, however, Hydel - the only team still perfect in the group after two matches - lead on goal difference, this after a 10-0 thrashing of Penwood.

Charlie Smith are fourth with three points from two games, but KC and Calabar have already played three times.

The difference in the number of games played occurred because an encounter between Charlie Smith and Hydel last week had to be postponed with 25 minutes to go because of lightning. Hydel were leading 5-1 at the time.

Charlie Smith's coach, Eugene Williams, said it was a most disappointing display from his team.

"It was poor. This is our first game at home, and it was very disappointing," a dejected Williams lamented.

In the day's other game from the zone at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex, KC earned a 2-0 win over Camperdown.

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com

YESTERDAY'S RESULTS

KC 2 vs 0 Camperdown

JC 3 vs 0 Spanish Town

Meadowbrook 3 vs 2 Cumberland

Excelsior 7 vs 1 Cedar Grove

Bridgeport 2 vs 1 Clan Carthy

Mona 9 vs 0 St Mary's College

St Catherine 7 vs 0 Edith Dalton James

Innswood 2 vs 0 Holy Trinity