EXCELSIOR recovered from their recent loss to Vauxhall to clip Norman Manley 1-0 in Group F of the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/Flow Manning Cup yesterday.

Roshod Nembhard got the all-important strike in the 37th minute to move the Mountain View-based team to six points, three points behind leaders Jonathan Grant who blanked Spanish Town 2-0, and Vauxhall High who were 1-0 winners over Ascot High.

It was a lukewarm start to what was expected to be an interesting contest at the Courtney Walsh Oval. Both teams failed consistently to maintain possession of the ball, and at one point appeared to be engaged in a tennis match.

The uneven nature of the surface also offered very little assistance to the quality of play, as the competitors had to contend with the irregular bounce of the ball.

However, after settling gradually, Excelsior upped the tempo of the game and looked menacing when Raewin Senior got behind defenders, but his hurried shot went wide of the right upright.

Senior was at it again minutes later when his firm header from Thorn Buchanan’s corner kick came off Brandon Edmond in goal for Norman Manley.

The opening goal eventually came from another set play as Christopher Thorpe’s corner kick from the left side took a deflection off the arm of Norman Manley’s defender Kevani Grant and ended up in the path of Nembhard who made no mistakes.

The scoreline remained the same at the break as both teams failed to create any meaningful opportunity, which basically summed up the outcome of the encounter.

The hosts came out cagey after the resumption and absorbed consistent pressure from Norman Manley. They had to survive a goal mouth melee early in the half and again later in the closing stages of the game as Norman Manley went on the hunt for the equaliser.

Assistant coach of Excelsior Karume Huie was pleased that the team gave a more spirited performance.

“The team showed more fight and that is what we are asking for; you put in the fight and we will take it. We were not fighting against Vauxhall Thursday, so we ask them to give us the fight and everything else will be possible,” he told the media in a post-game interview.

Meanwhile, Paul Edwards of Norman Manley took some positives from the encounter.

“Surely disappointed about not coming away with a point, but there are some positives that we can take from this game going forward,” he said.

In Group B, Greater Portmore extended their unbeaten run with a 1-0 win over Cumberland, while joint leaders Hydel High blanked Dunoon Technical 2-0. Haile Selassie and Papine played out a 1-1 scoreline in the other group fixture.