CALABAR kept alive their chances to reach the second round of the ISSA/Flow Manning Cup competition with a 3-1 win against nine-man Tivoli Gardens High at the Edward Seaga Sports Complex yesterday.

Mickel Graham in the 10th, Lenworth Reckford in the 45th+1, and Romain Rallyns in the 58th minutes got the goals for Calabar High, with Dwayne Coke replying in the 41st for the losers.

Tivoli Gardens had two players — Dwayne Coke and Daniel Martin — sent off in the second half.

Calabar, who have played six games, have joined leaders Jamaica College (JC) on 10 points, but JC have played two games less.

With JC looking certain to qualify for the next round from Group A, St Catherine (six points from five games) appear the biggest threat to Calabar.

Therefore, needing to win to stay in touch with the leaders, Calabar put themselves in front early through Graham and continued to put pressure on Tivoli Gardens High to increase the score. But Tivoli, in turn, were treating the game as a final and entertained the idea of overturning the 4-0 beating they received from Calabar in the first round.

They, therefore, stifled Calabar’s thrust and scored a goal of their own from the spot by Coke after Renardo Burgher of Calabar was penalised by referee Malakia Reid for committing a foul against Rajeem Lothian in the area.

Calabar themselves drew a foul just outside the penalty area and Reckford stepped up to regain the lead for the Red Hills Road boys through a free kick.

Calabar went farther ahead on the resumption with a goal from Rallyns, which killed off any hopes that Tivoli Gardens High harboured of getting back into the game.

— Hurbun Williams