JAMAICA College and Wolmer’s Boys’ advanced to the semi-finals of the ISSA/Flow Walker Cup following dreaded penalty victories in their respective encounters at the Constant Spring field yesterday.

Manning Cup champions Jamaica College stopped a spirited Charlie Smith 5-4 on penalties after playing out a 1-1 scoreline in full and extra-time in the curtain-raiser. Meanwhile, in the day’s feature, Wolmer’s Boys’ scored a 5-4 sudden-death penalty win over Hydel after playing out a goalless encounter in full and extra time.

In what seemed a repeat of last year’s Manning Cup final, Jamaica College were again expected to be a handful for the young Charlie Smith outfit, and they looked the better of the two for the entire contest and were more organised in the middle of the park.

But it was Charlie Smith who grabbed the early ascendancy when Ashawn Ricketts slotted past Jahmali Waite in goal for Jamaica College in the 26th minute for a 1-0 lead at the break.

The score remained unchanged until the 53rd minute when Charlie Smith’s custodian Okeino Mendez failed to gather the ball cleanly from Allando Brown’s wind-aided free kick from a distance, and JC got back on level terms.

Both teams created numerous chances in their quest for the advantage, but failed to capitalise and required an additional 20 minutes to decide a winner.

Extra time, however, also failed to separate the teams.

Jamaica College went first and converted their first four kicks and Charlie Smith kept close until Alton Lewis stepped up and wildly kicked the ball over the crossbar. Oquino Robinson then converted to hand JC the win.

Coach Miguel Coley was pleased with the win, but acknowledged that more work needs to be done.

“Championship always come to the fore. I think we were passing the ball very well in the first half and also in the second half, but we sometimes over-passed. We also got a few chances but we didn’t take them, so we have some work to do in terms of defence, to be more solid, and in our midfield to get one or two strikers who are going to put away the chances,” he told the Jamaica Observer in a post-game interview.

“We have a very good chance of winning; it is just to do some work with them and regroup, but as I said, in terms of the penalty, they were composed and they did very well,” Coley added.

His counterpart Jerome Waite applauded his young outfit for a brave performance.

“First and foremost, we still have to give these youngsters credit; no one expected them to play so well against the Jamaica College team which is experienced and has champion material from last year. So it is only a matter of time before they mold as the season progresses,” he told journalists.

The second encounter was also decided on penalty after an evenly contested fixture which failed to produce a winner in full and extra time.

Both teams started tentatively before settling in attack where they exhibited flair, but lacked conviction and composure in the final third.

Some stout work by both defensive units at times nullified the other’s attacking prowess, and so it took the heart-wrenching penalty kicks to separate them.

And it was Shamar Jemison who was the hero for the Heroes Circle-based team, denying Mikhail Miller in sudden death, after earlier stopping Ronaldo Nelson. Kevin Lewis of Hydel also did well to deny Akiiki Jackson, but was beaten by a level-headed Kobe Stebel in sudden death.

Wolmer’s Head Coach Vassell Reynolds was delighted with the victory.

“It was a tough one. I thought the Hydel team came out stronger than we expected, but we were prepared for this. Once it went to penalty, I thought we were at a disadvantage a little bit because three of our players were out through cramps. But it was a good game, and it is a pity one team had to lose this way,” he told reporters.

Geoffrey Maxwell of Hydel was left disappointed.

“It wasn’t a tough game. I thought we should have won the game from the first half, but this is what football is about….you get disappointments. The team played, but I don’t think we played to the best of our abilities and we paid the price,” he lamented.

The semi-finals will be contested on Tuesday.