REIGNING champions St George’s College put in a fabulous second-half display under rainy and soggy conditions to turn back Glenmuir High 4-1 in yesterday’s first leg of the ISSA/Gatorade/Digicel all-island Olivier Shield playoff at the Constant Spring playfield.

St George’s, the Manning Cup winners, went ahead in the 38th minute through Andre Lewis’ goal, but were pegged back in the 44th when Newton Henry struck home a free kick.

Mark Brown restored the advantage for the Neville ‘Bertis’ Bell-conditioned team in the 49th minute, before a pair of sublime strikes from Cardel Benbow (88th) and Kendon Anderson (90th) rubbed salt in the wounds of the daCosta Cup title-holders.

“I told the players to have fun and to move the ball around. We got carried away in the first half and took too many touches. In the second half, we shared the ball better and we got the goals. I think we played well over the course of the game,” Bell said elatedly.

Head coach of Glenmuir Patrick ‘Jackie’ Walters conceded that his outfit was outplayed on the day, and though insistent that he has not given up, the veteran tactician added it would be “difficult” to recover in the second leg.

“We played against a very good team and they were definitely better than us. We played the (daCosta Cup) final over the weekend so we weren’t at our sharpest in this match. We still looked to counter when we won the ball, but it didn’t pay off. It is going to be difficult to recover (from the three-goal deficit),” Walters said.

St George’s enjoyed the majority of possession in the first period, despite the saturated underfoot conditions, and predictably took a 1-0 lead seven minutes before the interval when Lewis’ cross-come-shot eluded Glenmuir’s goalkeeper Dave Chambers.

Seemingly stung by going behind, the Clarendon-based team became more ambitious in attack and tried to spring strikers Noel Johnson and Xahne Reid through several counter-attacking moves.

Their intent paid off in the 44th minute when St George’s Paul Doyle committed a needless foul just outside his defensive 18 yard-box.

The impressive Henry stepped forward to unleash a rasping free kick that beat St George’s custodian Nico Campbell at his near post.

Five minutes into the second half, Brown scrambled in from close range to put St George’s back in front.

Boosted by the 2-1 lead, and having the advantage of fresher legs after resting a week longer than Glenmuir, the North Street-located school bossed even more possession and sapped the opposition with a finely cultured and patient passing game.

The small pockets of spectators were delighted at the St George’s display which reach a fitting crescendo when Benbow benefitted from a neat exchange between Romario Jones and Zhelano Barnes to stroke a left-footer beyond the flailing reach of Chambers.

Two minutes into time added, Anderson stoked the flame one final occasion with an acrobatic, scissors-like strike after the Glenmuir defence failed to clear Jerondy Henry’s well-flighted cross.

Backs to the wall, Walters’ unit will be anxious to seek revenge when the teams meet in Saturday’s second leg at the Brancourt field in Clarendon.