CHARLIE Smith High moved five points clear in Group C of the ISSA/Digicel/Gatorade Manning Cup after thrashing Ascost High, 4-0, in their top-of-the-table clash at the Tony Spaulding Complex yesterday.

Goals from Michaelus Martin, Omarley Pryce, Andrew Allen and Javoni Simms pushed the Jerome Waite-coached boys to 19 points.

Both teams were reduced to 10 men as Ascot’s Xavier Omealy (65th) and Charlie Smith’s Andrew Cuff were red-carded.

Ascot stayed second with 14 points despite the loss, three more than Wolmer’s Boys who hammered Haile Seleassie, 9-0, through a hat-trick from Jason Wright and Demar Rose to stay in the hunt for a second-round berth.

In the group’s other match, Dunoon Technical and Vauxhall High battled to a 2-2 draw in their East Kingston derby.

Dunoon twice led through Mario Folkes and Marlon Johnson, but Damarley Pink and Leon Webb secured a point for Vauxhall.

At Tony Spaulding, ‘Charlie’ turned what was expected to be a close game into a one-sided affair after dominating from the outset, with the visitors showing little attacking enterprise.

Charlie Smith opened the scoring after 11 minutes when Martin was well placed to head home a cross from Lennox Russell.

After wasting a number of opportunities, the hosts added a second two minutes from the break when Pryce finished off a fine build-up with a low strike which kissed the root of the post before going in.

Eight minutes into the second half Charlie Smith made it 3-0 after another good build-up in which Pryce broke free and set up Allen to score from six yards.

They added another goal in the 66th when central defender Kemar Angus made his way into the area, only to see his strike parried into the net by Omealy (a defender), who was instantly ejected.

Simms converted the resulting penalty to put the game beyond the reach of the visitors.

Charlie Smith were reduced to 10 players three minutes later when Cuff caught Oshane Nembhard with a malicious swing.

Waite said although they dominated from the start, there is work to be done if they intend to be title contenders.

“The team still has a lot of work to do; we’ve not found the right chemistry and things that are being expected of these players we have not seen it as yet,” he said.

Ascot’s assistant coach Elton Johnson said he hopes the loss will help to galvanise the team.

“It takes defeat sometimes to build character, but the boys just didn’t show up today and we made some basic mistakes and it cost us… but we’re… not out of it yet,” he said.

In the lone Group A match, Calabar High blanked St Catherine High, 2-0, through a brace from Chevonne Marsh . Calabar are now on 18 points from six games — five more than Excelsior High who did not play yesterday and have a game in hand.

The other Group A game between Greater Portmore and Holy Trinity High was rained out.

In Group E, Spanish Town High failed to make up ground on St George’s College whose match against Edith Dalton James was also rained out, as they went down 1-0 to rivals Innswood courtesy of Canio Myers’ strike.

Innswood joined Spanish Town on 11 points from seven games, five behind St George’s, who have an outstanding game.

Tarrant High also failed to make headway, succumbing 3-2 to Meadowbrook High to stay fourth on 10 points.

Meadowbrook’s Geovani Greewsword scored twice and Lindo Roberts once to cancel out strikes from Romar Whyte and Chevaun Crooks.