Champions Jamaica College dropped their first points of the season after being held to a 1-1 scoreline by a gutsy St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) in their Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/FLOW Manning Cup Group B contest at the latter’s Spanish Town Road base yesterday.

Chavaney Willis sent Jamaica College in front in the 85th minute, but Devantay Barrett nullified the lead in the 88th to ensure that STATHS got a share of the spoils.

Despite the draw, Jamaica College continue to lead the four-team table on 10 points and are virtually sure of a spot in the second round with two games remaining, while STATHS occupy second spot with six points and have one game in hand to decide their fate of progression.

After playing out a goalless first half on a surface which took away from the quality of the game, Jamaica College produced a spirited performance at the resumption and should have won the contest, but were let down by faulty shooting.

Orlando Brown, marshalling the left channel, had the first look at goal for the Old Hope Road-based team when his well-struck shot came back off the underside of the crossbar with the follow-up shot being lashed high and wide by Duhaney Williams.

The introduction of Ronaldo Brown into the attack for Tevin Rochester gradually increased Jamaica College’s tempo and his defence-splitting through pass to Donavan Dawkins almost brought the breakthrough.

However, Dawkins’ shot towards an empty net was cleared off the line by recovering defender Lloyd Burke. Jamaica College inevitably broke the deadlock from the resulting corner which was fired in by Willis who was allowed too much space inside the area.

But any hope the Miguel Coley-coached team had of leaving with all three points was foiled by the hosts three minutes later.

After threatening with a few attacks earlier, STATHS eventually struck a venomous blow courtesy of Barrett who got in behind defenders and expertly chipped his shot over the head of custodian Karim Mogg two minutes from time.

Coley, in a post-game interview, felt the scoreline was justified due to the poor showing by his team.

“I think when we got the goal we should have definitely shut the game away, but I think we lapsed and conceded a goal. But STATHS fought hard, it was not a lot of quality, but they fought to the end… in terms of the game, we didn’t play well so I think it is a just score,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

His counterpart Alrick Clarke was pleased with the point which has set his team up well to secure a second- round berth.

“I think this was well deserved because this is something that we planned for (as) we wanted three points, but a point is good enough especially in the way it happened,” Clarke noted.

Over in Group A, many-time champions St George’s College remain in second position on 12 points after a 11-0 hammering of Tarrant at Winchester Park, while Excelsior stayed atop on 13 points by blanking Greater Portmore 4-0 at Stadium East.

In Group E, Holy Trinity slipped into the lead with 15 points after being awarded three points and a three-nil scoreline against Mona High, who failed to properly prepare their surface.

Charlie Smith are now second, also on 15 points, but with an inferior goal difference following a 1-0 win over Clan Carthy at Alpha Institute.