Kingston College (KC) have placed one foot into the semi-final of the ISSA/FLOW Manning Cup competition following a 3-0 beating of Bridgeport in Group H, while many-time champions St George’s College were frustrated in a goalless Group G encounter against St Catherine at the Spanish Town Prison Oval yesterday.

The tie between St George’s College and nemesis St Catherine remains even as the two failed to separate themselves in a lukewarm curtain-raiser.

Both teams had their fair share of possession and a few good looks at goal, but lacked the enterprise and conviction to find the go-ahead goal.

With the point, both teams inched up to two points, same as St Andrew Technical (STATHS) and Holy Trinity High, who also played out a goalless scoreline in the other Group G encounter at Constant Spring.

Meanwhile, in the feature contest at Spanish Town Prison Oval, a brace form Rashawn Mackinson in the 34th and 87th minutes, along with Renato Campbell’s 61st-minute strike, lifted KC to second in Group H on three points heading into Saturday’s final-round contest against leaders Jamaica College on six points.

Bridgeport, who were losing their second game, remain at the foot of the standings without a point and will be hoping to end their 2017 campaign on a high against third-placed Calabar (one point), also on Saturday.

Both KC and Bridgeport started spiritedly in early end-to-end action, with the latter showing off their flair, but when KC settled into their natural game, it was no surprise that the scoreline ended in favour of the title favourites.

After threatening early when Fabian Grant’s cheeky left-footed effort was parried by custodian Kashwane Stanbury, KC eventually found the breakthrough four minutes past the half-hour mark.

Campbell’s low corner kick to the near post was turned in by Mackinson, who arrived ahead of a defender to beat the outstretched hand of Stanbury to make it 1-0 at the break.

The North Street-based KC maintained the ascendancy on the resumption and extended their lead 16 minutes in, when Omar Thompson laid off a pass for Campbell to fire home from inside the 18-yard area a minute past the hour mark.

KC continued to apply consistent pressure against the now tiring Bridgeport team and substitute Trayvone Reid got in on the act shortly after replacing Thomas, but his stinging left-footed effort from about 20 yards out in the 80th minute came back off the upright.

However, Mackinson sealed the deal seven minutes later when he picked up a through pass from Campbell and forced his shot past the hapless Stanbury.

Despite leading 3-0, KC’s captain, Javain Brown, was displeased with the lacklustre effort of Reid in the field and the two came together in the latter stages of the contest, but the sound intervention of teammates quelled what almost turned into an ugly brawl.

The tension spilled over after the game and Reid had to be taken away from the bench area by team officials.

But Head Coach Ludlow Bernard shone some positive light on the issue.

“It was a gutsy performance. We needed a response after the disappointing result on Saturday and we implored the players that they needed to give a 120 per cent today (yesterday) because a lot is at stake… a lot of expectation and a lot of pride and so I am humbled by the effort that was made today.

“Although there was a discrepancy in the game, sometimes some of that is necessary in order for everybody to understand the mission that we are on, but we are grateful for the victory today,” Bernard told journalists in a post-game interview.

“This (the tension) will make a positive impact so there is no need to worry because sometimes we need some of that to really get some people going for them to understand the importance of our mission. So I have no issues with it whatsoever but we will deal with it internally,” he added.

His counterpart Garnett Lawrence was left disappointed that their Manning Cup journey is nearing its end, but is looking forward to the Walker Cup Knockout games.

“It was a difficult season overall, but we came into this game with high spirits but after about 30 minutes a soft goal was given up and from that it was downhill, but we look forward to next season and we will be pressing on into the knockout as well,” he noted.

— Sherdon Cowan

Yesterday’s results

Group G

St George’s College 0, St Catherine 0

Holy Trinity 0, STATHS 0

Group H

Jamaica College 1, Calabar 0

Kingston College 3, Bridgeport 0