Jamaica College (JC) took sole leadership of Group I after a 3-1 victory over plucky Hydel High in the second-round ISSA/FLOW Manning Cup encounter at Spanish Town Prison Oval yesterday.

Chavany Willis, who found the back of the net in the 25th minute, Duhaney Williams (36th) and substitute Donovan Dawkins (82nd) were the scorers for defending champions JC.

Hydel’s reply came from Tray McKay in the 30th minute.

JC have six points, while Hydel have three points.

Also in Group I, St Jago High and Denham Town High, who both lost their opening games last week, have one point each after playing out a 1-1 result in yesterday’s curtain-raiser at the venue.

Christon Blair scored for St Jago in the 37th minute, while Akeem Aaron equalised for Denham Town in the 79th.

In the feature encounter, Hydel, noticeably smaller in stature than JC, showed they were a match for their more illustrious opponents with neat attacking passes throughout the first half. But even then, JC showed superior efficiency when Willis banged home the opener from close range after latching onto a pass from Javoy Belnavis after a short corner kick was taken.

On the half-hour mark, Hydel went level after a blistering counter-attack.

It happened immediately after JC Captain Oquin Robinson hit the upright with a free kick. The ball broke loose for Hydel’s Peter Green, who calmly rounded the challenge of a JC player, before he arrowed a pass forward to national youth player Nicholas Nelson whose shot at goal was parried by JC goalkeeper Kajay Johnson, only for McKay to boot home.

However, only six minutes later Hydel again failed to properly defend a set piece.

JC’s Williams was the beneficiary this time around when he turned into the goal after a corner kick was headed on inside the Hydel 18-yard box.

The pace in the second half was as frantic as the first, but despite both teams battling desperately to add to their tally, no goal came until late on when JC tied up all three points.

It came through the combination of substitutes Donovan Dawkins, who scored the winner in last season’s Manning Cup final, and Tyreek Magee, just back from a developmental tour at English Premier League title favourites Manchester City.

Magee, the national Under-20 player, was the provider, whipping in a left-footed free kick for Dawkins to thunder home a header.

Yesterday’s Manning Cup results

Group I

St Jago 1, Denham Town 1

Jamaica College 3, Hydel 1Today’s games Group J St Andrew Technical vs Bridgeport @ Constant Spring field @ 1:00 pmKingston College vs Charlie Smith @ Constant Spring field @ 3:00 pm

Jamaica College 3, Hydel 1

Today’s games

Group J

St Andrew Technical vs Bridgeport @ Constant Spring field @ 1:00 pm

Kingston College vs Charlie Smith @ Constant Spring field @ 3:00 pm