Butler still bitter towards Wolmer’s after 36 years
Thirty-six years on, the wounds still run deep for Craig Butler who has not gotten over the elimination of Jamaica College (JC) from the Manning Cup after Kingston College swamped Wolmer’s Boys’ School 5-0 and advanced to the final of the competition at the expense of JC in 1986.
Speaking after his Mona High team put Wolmer’s to the sword in a 3-1 win in a Zone E top-of-the-table clash at the Stadium East Field on Wednesday, Butler made it known that he still held a grudge.
“Every time I play against Wolmer’s there is always going to be passion because I have not forgotten 1986. So, it will always be passion and a fight for my team. It’s not going to be much of a tactical game, it will be a fight to the end,” he said in his post-match interview.
Mona High and Wolmer’s both went into the game unbeaten and separated only by goal difference. Mona had previously scored 30 goals and conceded 4, but Wolmer’s who had only scored 7 goals were yet to concede, making it a game of attack versus defence.
In the end it was attack that came out on top as it took Mona only six minutes to open the scoring when Zhaine Pinnock gave them the lead with a neat finish from just outside the box. They then added to their lead on the stroke of half time when Romarion Thomas banged home a stunner from 35 yards in the 45th minute.
Donhue Mitchell made sure of the result when he converted from the penalty spot in the 81st minute before Wolmer’s got their consolation from a melee when substitute Caton Daley scored in the 85th minute.
Butler thought the performance of his team was excellent.
“The performance was excellent, the formation and system that we played really created the opportunities and then at the end we did what we needed to do.”
Mona now leads the zone outright on point and Butler expects his players to continue to excel in the competition.
“I am pleased with the victory. I am pleased with the boys and the effort that has gone out. For me, I am looking forward to great things from them.”
The win took Mona up to 15 points from five matches while Wolmer’s remain on 12 from five. The teams will now look forward to the return leg fixtures which begin next week.
