THE first round of the 2011 ISSA/Gatorade/Digicel Manning Cup season concludes today with Calabar, Excelsior, Jamaica College, Camperdown, Hydel, St George’s College, Charlie Smith, Kingston College, Bridgeport and Jose Marti all booking their places in the second round.

The opening round was to end last Saturday but persistent showers forced the cancellation of all matches for the day. Wolmer’s Boys and Norman Manley High are the high profiled teams yet to cement their place in the next round and are both faced with an uphill task of achieving that dream.

Group A

Calabar conceded their second goal of the tournament against the same opponents who scored the first as they crushed Excelsior 5-1 last Monday. All six goals came in the second half with Calabar’s Kyle Scott leading the way with a brace. The other match of the day between St Catherine High and Holy Trinity High was postponed.

Group B

Hydel recorded their eighth win of their nine matches played with a 4-2 beating of Papine. Denham Town gave themselves a statistical chance of advancing to the next round by holding second placed Waterford High to a 0-0. Tivoli High defeated Campion College 2-0.

Group C

Charlie Smith became the first team and only team thus far to record 40 goals for the season as they hammered Dunoon Technical 8-0. Ascot maintained their narrow advantage over Wolmer’s Boys with a 4-0 victory against Haile Selassie while the men from Heroes Circle maintained the pressure with a 5-0 win over Vauxhall High. With one game to go for both teams Ascot are on 18 points with Wolmer’s lurking on 17.

Group D

Last Tuesday, returning captain Rickardo Oldham bagged a brace as Camperdown recorded a 2-0 victory over St Jago High while Jamaica College still leads the group on goal difference as they strolled past Cumberland 4-1. The match between Kingston Technical and Pembroke Hall for the same day was postponed.

Group E

St George’s College made sure that they advanced at the top of the group with a 5-1 crushing of Tarrant High last Monday. Innswood High kept their hopes of advancing alive with a 5-1 win against Edith Dalton James but face a daunting task as they will have to defeat St George’s and hope that second placed Spanish Town High (with who they are level on points) lose to Tarrant High, a team they defeated 4-1 earlier in the round.

Group F

Kingston College secured their 100 per cent win record with a 5-0 beating of Ardenne High last Tuesday. Penwood High continued to keep Norman Manley at bay as they recorded a convincing 4-1 win over Donald Quarrie. Holding an advantage of 10 points to ‘Manley’s’ nine, a victory against cell dwellers Ardenne will ensure that they advance while Manley has to hope that Penwood fails to claim three points and at the same time defeat Donald Quarrie.

Group G

Bridgeport High and José Marti secured their places in the next round with comfortable away wins against Oberlin High and St Mary’s College. Damarley Samuels scored four goals as Bridgeport recorded an 8-2 victory while for José Marti Christoper Salmon and Scott Nembhard both scored a brace. Both teams will clash on Tuesday with a Walker Cup spot in mind; though José Marti trail by three points a victory by two goals or more will see them claiming a Walker Cup spot.