Kingston Tech, Kingston High in shoddy 0-0 draw
Kingston Technical High School and Kingston High battled to a dull 0-0 draw in their rescheduled ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup Group F match at Deanery Road yesterday.
It was the first point for Kingston High and they climbed off the bottom of the group, but it was two dropped points for Kingston Technical (KT) as they inched to four points and stayed in fourth spot.
The group is led by defending champions Jamaica College and Hydel High, both on 13 points, with Vauxhall High in third spot on six points following their 2-0 win over Campion College yesterday.
The KT-Kingston High clash was a game that reinforced the argument for a second -tier schoolboy football competition as both teams lacked football quality.
Neither team was to produce any hint of quality, which was very hard on the eyes. But the just over 100 spectators saw enough to cheer for their teams regardless.
KT got the best chance to win the game as Cymani Wilson was played through on goal and, with only goalkeeper Alex Leslie to beat, his feeble effort was easily collected.
It was a battle of the minnows, but hard to fathom, especially with KT being the team that won the Walker Cup in 1981, the same year they lost the Manning Cup final to Kingston College.
KT head coach Shaun Charlton was extremely disappointed with the result as his team lost grounds on the leaders.
“I am very disappointed because that wasn’t what we were aiming for. We wanted to gain as many points before we reach (play) the group leaders. It’s a setback because Kingston High is one of those teams we wanted all six points from,” he noted.
Following the 1-5 defeat to Vauxhall High; 0-6 to Hydel High and 0-8 to JC, coach of Kingston High Keith Johnson was satisfied with their first point of the season.
“The boys fought coming from an 8-0 and hold KT to a 0-0 draw (and) a point is good enough. We buckled down and did well and I respected that because they played out their hearts for the school today,” said Johnson.
“This year we lost seven players to different schools, and we are rebuilding in the middle of the season, so I am keeping my fingers cross so I can have these guys for the next two years,” he added.
— Howard Walker
