FACED with the prospect of Bridgeport being eliminated at the quarter-final stage of the Manning Cup, captain Darren Mattocks scored five goals to lead his team to a 8-0 win over Waterford to move into the semi-finals.

Now the striker, who has netted a competition-leading 23 goals, has the opportunity of leading his team to their third lien on the coveted trophy as Bridgeport tackle reigning champions St George’s College in this afternoon’s final.

“As a champion at times it’s going to get rough, but as true champions you have to know that when your back is against the wall you have to stick to the coach’s game (plan) and we believed in ourselves,” Mattocks told the Sporting World following the quarter-final encounter. He was also a member of Bridgeport’s title-winning team in 2006.

“That’s the most important (thing), we believe because all season long we didn’t play any football as how Bridgeport should play football and this time we followed the coach’s instructions, we believed in father God, the most important thing and we eventually came out victorious,” he added.

That quarter-final victory over Waterford was follow by last Saturday’s 1-0 semi-final win over the highly fancied STATHS. Incidentally, Bridgeport played the last 20 minutes of that encounter without coach Anthony Patrick, who was ejected from the bench for “ungentlemanly conduct” by the referee.

The skilful player, currently leads the race for the golden boot with six second round goals — two more than closest rival McKauly Tulloch of St George’s, with whom he will match sharpness today.

“Personally that is a very good achievement, but without father God, the coaching staff and the management staff and the team effort, I would not have scored so many goals,” he said.

The striker, who is currently studying in Upper-six, has three passes at the CAPE level and six at the CSEC level and believes it very important to excel both in the class room and on the football field.

“For athletes academic achievement along with sports is very important with time management,” said the 19-year-old.

Mattocks attained passes in Management of Business, Communication Studies and Sociology at Cape level last year, after passing English Language, Social Studies, Geography, Electrical, Information Technology and Document Preparation at the CXC level to matriculate to sixth form.

— KR