Richardinho Wilson (right) of William Knibb Memorial gets away from Cedric Titus High’s Anthony Gaynor in their ISSA daCosta Cup Zone D first round game played in Martha Brae on Friday, September 19. (Photo: Paul Reid)
Manchester High marched into the quarter-finals of the ISSA Ben Francis Cup competition on Thursday by beating William Knibb Memorial 5-0 in their first-round game played at Manchester High.
Despite playing with 10 players from the 34th minute after Jevohntae Gordon was sent off by referee Andre Dormer, Manchester High dominated the game from the start with Shamone Reynolds leading the way with a double.
The first round will be completed this afternoon when Ocho Rios High meets Old Harbour High at Drax Hall with the winners advancing to the quarter-finals on Tuesday.
Garvey Maceo High and Mannings School both drew byes to the quarter-finals after Maldon High and Maggotty High both withdrew from the competition.
Manchester High started the season well and after scoring a record 76 goals while winning all 10 first round games, they failed to build on the great start and were knocked out in the Round of 16.
After scoring just four goals in their three Round of 16 games, they were back to their free scoring ways on Thursday and started scoring early, going ahead in the third minute when Gordon scored his 31st goal of the season.
Gordon scored 27 times in the first round but fell off with just three goals in six games between the Round of 32 and the Round of 16 and made an early exit Thursday after headbutting William Knibb defender Caleb Haughton in the 34th minute.
Reynolds picked up the slack and scored a penalty in the 44th minute after he was pushed over inside the William Knibb Memorial 18 yards box by Haughton and then added a third in the 48th minute.
Michael Reid added a fourth in the 66th minute when he steered a cross from Troycdian Flemmings through the legs of goalkeeper Devaughn Simpson.
Jahleel McKenzie, who replaced Flemmings, scored the fifth in the 78th minuyte, with his first touch of the ball to complete the scoring.
Today, Ocho Rios High, another school that was expected to make a deep run after another solid start, will start their quest for redemption when they take on Old Harbour High.
It will be the second meeting between the teams this season after Ocho Rios High edged them 1-0 in the Round of 16 where both schools ended their daCosta Cup campaigns.
Ocho Rios High cruised through the first round, winning nine games and drawing one while scoring 55 goals and then scored 13 more goals in their three wins in the round of 32.
Their goals and luck ran out in the round of 16, however, when they won just one game and lost the other two, including 3-0 to STETHS at Drax Hall.
Old Harbour High only got out of the first round as a best third place team and despite scoring just two goals and conceding three, were runners-up in their round of 32 group before losing all three games in the third round.
Thursday’s results
Manchester High 5 William Knibb 0
Friday’s game
Ocho Rios High vs Mannings School @ Drax Hall
