Last year’s beaten finalists Charlie Smith and Jonathan Grant High will square off in the curtain-raiser of a Group K double-header as the second round of the ISSA/Flow Manning Cup continues today at Spanish Town Prison Oval.

The game is scheduled to get under way at 1:00 pm, while Calabar High will battle Excelsior High in the feature contest set for 3:00 pm.

The top-of-the-table clash should be a humdinger as both teams are locked on three points and a victory for either would virtually secure a spot in the semi-final.

Charlie Smith have displayed good attacking and defensive capabilities and seem determined to duplicate or even surpass the performance of a better-rounded unit that was beaten 1-2 in the final by Jamaica College last year.

The young Jerome Waite-coached unit has shown that they can hold their own in a tough spot, but were hapless in a 1-4 loss to a more experienced St Elizabeth Technical in the Super Cup first round.

However, they returned a few days later and gave off a gutsy performance when coming from behind to beat Calabar 2-1, thanks to inspirational captain Shaquille Notice.

Notice is again expected to lead from the front, with much support to come from Ronaldo McDonald, Ronaldo Wright, Omario Fisher and Zemario Sinclair in breaching their opponents’ defence.

They will, however, be weary of a fluent attacking Jonathan Grant unit who punished Excelsior with a 1-0 win last time out. The St Catherine-based team has been holding good form from the first round of competition and advanced as the best third-placed team after slipping in the latter stages.

Their defensive unit is by no means the strongest, but they do hold a few terrors in attack and Jeovanni Shorter, Devonte Burton and Tyrone Small could come rise to the occasion should Charlie Smith fall short.

Meanwhile, Calabar High and Excelsior, who are both pointless, will be hunting their first victory to keep their chances alive. The Mountain View-based Excelsior paid the price for squandering a number of chances in a 0-1 loss to Jonathan Grant and recently suffered a 0-2 loss against Super Cup champions Jamaica College in the knockout competition.

But the Boris Johnson-coached team should be confident heading into the contest following their gutsy 6-5 penalty win over daCosta Cup outfit St James High in the Super Cup opening round. And if not threading on weary legs, the likes of Tyrik Sutherland, Roshod Nembhard, Romario Tomlinson and captain Christopher Thorpe should cause some problems for their opponents.

However, Calabar will be well rested coming into the encounter and should prove a formidable opponent. The Red Hills Road-based boys have been toiling since a thumping 1-4 loss to champions Jamaica College at home in the group stage, but will have to make amends if they intend to break their 10-year title drought.

Romaine Rollins, Mario Salesman and Scott Moody are expected to lead the charge for the Bradley Stewart-coached boys.