SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth — After having their shot at the daCosta Cup ruined by Edwin Allen High, Glenmuir High dished out some semblance of revenge on their Clarendon neighbours, returning the favour of a 2-0 scoreline to claim their seventh hold on the ISSA/Wata Ben Francis Knockout title here at the St Elizabeth Technical Sports Complex on Saturday.

Orane Watson’s 19th-minute penalty and the prolific David Reid (50th), with his 12th goal of the season, ensured the May Pen-based Glenmuir snapped a 13-year wait for another hold on this title. Their other liens were in 1993, 1994, 1999, 2004, 2005 and 2009.

Winning Coach Andrew Peart was not shy to declare his team’s delight at snaring a record-tying seventh hold on the knockout title while dethroning the defending champions who clipped their wings by a similar scoreline in the more prestigious daCosta Cup competition.

“The feeling is good. It took us about 12 days or more to get over the agony of that [daCosta Cup] defeat and so I believe this is testament to the heart that the boys have. They rebounded from that cruel loss and come back in a competition that we still could win — and they went right through,” Peart said in a post-game interview.

It was a lively start by Edwin Allen in particular as they were quick to put pressure on the ball, which resulted in the first warning shot coming from the left boot of Clayton Peck at the top of the 18-yard box in the second minute.

Because of Edwin Allen’s early tempo and high-pressure line Glenmuir were forced to play out on the counter — and they did so to good effect.

They could have had the breakthrough in the 13th minute but David Reid, who got on the end of a lovely build-up orchestrated by Watson, failed to convert Kyle Gordon’s pass across the face of goal.

However, Watson made amends six minutes later when he stepped up to convert from the 12-yard spot after a long pass from the back saw Reid drawing a foul in the danger area from goalkeeper Lamar Williamson, who left his line and was beaten on the advance.

That goal changed the face of the game as Glenmuir, now peaking in confidence, started to boss possession and forced a brisk change to Edwin Allen’s tactics.

The May Pen-based Glenmuir, sporting their signature red and white, were all over their Frankfield-based opponents well past the half-hour mark, creating a number of unanswered chances, but faulty shooting and good glovework by Williamson in part denied them more goals before the break.

Still, Glenmuir picked up where they had left off on the resumption and should have pushed further ahead two minutes in when Reid produced a decent solo run from the middle of the park into the final third where he unselfishly passed to Deandre Johnson, who squandered the opportunity.

But as fate would have it they went on another break, this time down the left channel through Johnson who turned provider for Reid to complete a tidy finish from close range.

Though down, Edwin Allen were certainly not out as they tried to play their game but by then found Glenmuir’s defenders in a defiant mode.

In the 72nd Tajae Thomas went on a break but placed too much weight on first touch and was dispossessed by the advancing Antwone Gooden in goal for Glenmuir.

An unphased Glenmuir restored parity to the proceedings soon after with Gordon dismissing his marker to get a shot off that was blocked by Williamson at his near post, and a defender got in the way of the follow-up effort by Reid.

Edwin Allen almost had a consolation at the death but Peck’s close-range effort was cleared off the line in time added.

For Edwin Allen’s Head Coach Tafari Burton, his team paid the price for their inefficiency.

“We didn’t execute our chances, and in games like this when you miss your chances it can cost you — and that’s what happened. So, congrats to Glenmuir,” he said.

— Sherdon Cowan