Kingston College (KC) Head Coach Ludlow Bernard was left beaming with pride after his team secured a 2-0 win over Garvey Maceo in the first round of the ISSA Champions Cup at National Stadium on Saturday.

A first half brace from Dwayne Atkinson was enough to secure the win for KC who played almost the entire second half with 10 players after defender Calvin Gardner was sent off for a second bookable offence.

Atkinson produced a sublime finish in the 27th minute to put his team ahead and his unrelenting efforts 10 minutes later allowed him to poach the ball off a Garvey Maceo defender and prod home from close range for 2-0 in his third man-of-the-match performance for his team this season.

The desired start is what Bernard believes was the key to success despite the one man disadvantage for a long period of the game.

“The key from the outset, as we told the boys, was to ensure that we got the go-ahead goal. We knew that once we got in front, I think we have the composure to really maintain our game,” explained Bernard.

The coach, however, lamented the loss of Gardner to a red card having spoken to him at half-time about his natural aggressive nature.

“It’s kind of unfortunate that we lost a player very early in the second half. As a matter of fact, I was in the changing room and just speaking to him before he went out, and he promised me that he was going to be very cautious, but I guess natural instinct kind of set in and going forward I know Calvin is going to address the situation,” Bernard noted.

The KC coach thought the boys stood up well considering the challenges of the second half.

“But it was a good opportunity for us to really test ourselves, test the mettle of the boys. I saw some championship efforts and at the end of the day I am very pleased with the result, with the performance, and I am looking forward to more from them,” Bernard said.

The result sees KC throwing their hat in the ring for the quarter-final draw which takes place today.

“It’s a good start it’s a launch really for all trophies that are available for us and I think we are really making a grand effort to really go at them… I think we have the material quality and I think we have the foundation from in the preseason that can keep the legs going throughout the course of the rigours right now.

“I think the mental capacity of these boys is very resilient. Irrespective of who is in front of us I think they are going to give a good show,” he assured.

While Kingston College, Jamaica College, Cornwall College, Clarendon College, Excelsior High, St Andrew Technical High School and Frome Technical have all secured passage to the quarter-finals, the match between St George’s College and BB Coke High will be completed today after it ended abruptly in the 55th minute due to rain on Saturday.

— Dwayne Richards