Defending champions Kingston College (KC) scored a come-from-behind 3-1 win over Vauxhall High, while Camperdown High and Holy Trinity High battled to a 0-0 draw in first-leg, quarter-final action of the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) Digicel Manning Cup yesterday at Stadium East.

In the curtain-raiser at 2:00 pm, KC, who conceded just one goal in the first round from 10 games, were stunned when Kemar Britton’s free-kick sailed over the head of KC’s custodian Hernel Nelson in the 18th minute.

Vauxhall High led at the half-time interval, and being the first time that the champions had trailed all season, it was left to see how they would respond, and that they did.

The famed Purples hit back hard in the second half with three goals for a decisive win that gave them a two-goal cushion heading into the return leg on Saturday.

An own goal by Jevaun Shepherd in minute 50 brought KC level, then two goals in three minutes swung the two-legged tie in KC’s favour.

Captain Jamari Morrison scored in the 70th, tapping home after Tyrese Williams’s effort was deflected into his path, and he made no mistake. Dwayne Atkinson made the game safe in minute 73. It was Atkinson’s 11th goal of the season.

KC’s assistant coach Raymond Watson said even though his team didn’t score in the first half the game should have been over from then.

“Basically [we] should have scored at least four clear-cut chances; we just didn’t make the right decisions. Overall I didn’t think Vauxhall was presenting a threat for us,” he said.

Vauxhall’s Coach Keon Broderick still harbours thoughts of winning the tie despite the two-goal disadvantage in what was their home game.

“These guys are fighters, even more so than past teams that I have had. We started off pretty good and tactically as usual we were pretty solid, especially in the first half.

“In the second half the goals came because of lack of concentration, as well as some persons were a little bit cramped. Coming up against this KC team we knew they had quality attackers and we knew that the task would have been very difficult and we asked them to be as defensively sound as possible and unfortunately they did not do it for 90 minutes,” Broderick noted.

Meanwhile, it’s all squared between Holy Trinity High and Camperdown High following their exciting first-leg 0-0 draw.

The advantage is certainly with Holy Trinity, who were the designated home team, following their clean sheet heading into the second leg at the same venue on Saturday.

Devon Anderson, head coach of Holy Trinity, said his team got numerous half-chances and on another day they would have won easily.

“We should have put away a few of those chances, but the game ended in stalemate. We came into this game as the so-called underdogs, seeing that Camperdown were unbeaten and full of confidence. But we did pretty well,” Anderson said.

Camperdown’s Head Coach Christopher Bender said his team was a bit complacent after brushing aside much weaker teams in the first round.

“I think this team was spoilt. We played some weak teams and if we played like this in the first round, we would have gone five or six (goals). They didn’t score in the first half and we probably just needed a goal to settle them down,” he theorised.

“We had the cutting edge, moved the ball around and had the possession but as long as the game went on I know this Trinity team would grow in confidence,” said Bender.

Come Saturday, Camperdown cannot afford to concede unless they win and Bender said his team played well as the only thing missing was a goal.

“We [are] not used to team going 0-0 so long with us and again the important thing is that we kept a clean sheet and we will be ready again.”

At the Spanish Town Prison Oval, St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) played to a 2-2 draw with Eltham High.

It was the first goals STATHS were conceding all season, but they will enter the return leg with the advantage of scoring two away goals.

In the second encounter, Wolmer’s Boys edged St Catherine High 1-0.

In today’s games at Spanish Town Prison Oval, St Jago High host Charlie Smith at 1:00 pm before Jamaica College tackle Hydel High at 3:00 pm.

At Stadium East, Mona High take on St George’s College at 2:00 pm before Excelsior High play Jonathan Grant High at 4:00 pm.

Today’s games

At Spanish Town Prison Oval

1:00 pm St Jago vs Charlie Smith

3:00 pm Jamaica College vs Hydel High

At Stadium East

2:00 pm Mona High vs St George’s College

4:00 pm Excelsior High vs Jonathan Grant High

Yesterday’s results

Vauxhall 1, KC 3

Holy Trinity 0, Camperdown 0

Eltham High 2, STATHS 2

Wolmer’s 1, St Catherine 0