GLEN Laing, head coach of St Jago High, is confident that his charges can turn the tables on St George’s College ahead of their ISSA/Flow Super Cup semi-final clash.

With St George’s College coming out 3-2 and 3-0 victors on both occasions in the previous meetings, Laing is quietly optimistic that it will be third time lucky for his team.

The Monk Street-based team has been holding their own all season and was on a four-game unbeaten run prior to their second round Manning Cup defeat to the ‘Light Blues’ on Tuesday. And a lack of composure in front of goal will make their chances that much slimmer against a tough St George’s College unit.

“We are very confident; each time that we play we are not taking our chances, so that can be the only skeleton in our closet. We have to make sure that we score first and cause them to change their plan,” he told Jamaica Observer.

“It will be a very good game from us… a tough challenge as well, but we are on the brink of going all the way, and it can’t get any better than that. We are only coming to do our best, but George’s is always a hard team to play, so it’s a do or die for us, because we are trying to get to the finals and they are in our way,” Laing added.

The well-rounded St Jago unit easily dispatched the St Elizabeth-based Lacovia High 3-1 and St Elizabeth Technical (STETHS) 2-1 on their way to the semi-finals. With the 2003 Walker Cup title being the only trophy in their cabinet, they are poised to go all the way for the lucrative cup on the first outing.

“They players are confident; we had a meeting last night and we were saying that to get the Super Cup, which is the money cup as we call it, would be an exciting adventure. From the start, with the quality surface and competitiveness, we liked the competition, so we are going to put our best foot forward and do our best tomorrow (today) and see what happens,” said Laing.

And, like their opponents, St Jago will be feeling the pinch of the hectic schedule, but Laing expressed optimism that his players will be rejuvenated by the right motivation and mental preparation.

“It is the first time for us, but after the last game against St George’s it was a quick turnaround, so they are really tired, but we are trying to motivate them mentally to go on and so we are hoping that will help,” he noted.

“But like I said, these are youngsters, so they just have to put their mind to it, because they can do it, but it is a hard task for them. The last game we didn’t have our goalkeeper because injury, but he will be back and Yonnick Elliot will also be back, so we will be at full strength,” he added. Elliot, along with Hayden Street, Ryan Smart and Shaqon Bryan, will be a dangerous force for the St Jago attack.

— Sherdon Cowan