KINGSTON, Jamaica – Four former champions, Frome Technical, Rusea’s High, Glenmuir High and Vere Technical, all won their second round first leg games in the ISSA daCosta Cup football competition on Saturday.

Frome Technical blanked Titchfield High 3-0, Rusea’s High got past Belair High 2-0, Glenmuir edged Tacky High 2-1, the same score that Vere Technical beat Cornwall College.

It was a rude welcome for newcomers Belair High and Irwin High, both of whom lost and will have serious deficits to get over in the return round games next week.

Rusea’s High took a big step toward exorcising the ghosts of the last three years beating Belair High 2-0 in the second game of a double header at Brooks Park in Mandeville.

Terome Morgan and Deonjay Brown scored for Rusea’s High, who had missed the second round last season and were dumped out in the second round the two previous seasons.

Frome Technical continued their good run, beating Titchfield High 3-0 at Carder Park in a repeat of the 2003 final and will have one foot in the quarterfinals.

Jevaughn Clarke, Stevaughn Spence and Rojay Dixon scored for the Frome Technical team that has not lost all season.

Glenmuir High dented Tacky High’s hopes of advancing with a 2-1 win at Westmoreland Oval and will go home with the lead while Vere Technical edged a wasteful Cornwall College 2-1 in their first meeting in years.

Ben Francis KO holders Edwin Allen High were 2-0 winners over McGrath High with goals from Jevaughan McLellan and Tajae Thomas while Paul Bogle High edged Cedric Titus High 1-0 with a first half goal from Tajhean Mayne.

It was the third straight loss for Cedric Titus since winning their first five games in a row.

Irwin High were losing for the first time this season, going down 3-1 at Foga Road High to Central High who got goals from Shane Gordon, James Dyer and James Gallimore.

Irwin High, the Zone A winners must now win the return round game by three clear goals to book a place in the quarterfinals.