Manchester, Dinthill look to extend perfect d’Cup run
Manchester High could take a big step towards qualifying for the second round of the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association/Wata daCosta Cup football competition when they visit fellow contenders deCarteret College in a return game set to start at 3:30 this afternoon.
Manchester High, coached by Donovan Duckie, have won their previous six games and are one of two schools — the other is Dinthill Technical — who will be putting perfect win records on the line today.
A total 13 games — 10 of them rescheduled — are down to be played.
Four of the games are to continue from where they were called off previously due to wet weather and/or lightning, while others did not start and were moved to today.
Manchester High, who are on 18 points, had beaten deCarteret College 5-0 in their first-round meeting and are expected to take three more points today.
Belair High can also strengthen their hold on second place with another win over Mount St Joseph Catholic, who they had beaten 3-0 in their first meeting.
Dinthill Technical, who lead Zone J with nine points, face Enid Bennett High, who have won just one of their three games and have scored just four goals so far.
McGrath High and Charlemont High, who are both on six points and are separated by goal-difference, will meet in a game that could prove crucial in both teams’ hopes for automatic qualification to the next round.
Charlemont High are coming off a surprise loss to Ewarton High, while McGrath High lost to Dinthill.
The race in Zone C is close, with five points separating the top four schools. A win for second-placed Browns Town High over third-placed Ocho Rios High would see them move into joint lead with Cedric Titus High, who are on 16 points.
A win for Ocho Rios High, however, would see them leapfrog Browns Town into second place.
They were locked at 0-0 when the game was originally played on September 23.
BB Coke High, on 13 points from five games, can also join St Elizabeth Technical High (STETHS) for the lead in Zone E with a win over Sydney Pagon STEM, who are on four points and have allowed 15 goals while scoring just five.
Mile Gully High and Bellefield High are neck and neck in Zone G, both on 12 points. They are set to clash with Knox College and Christiana High, respectively.
Mile Gully lost to Knox College in the first round, but Knox College have since cooled off after a fast start, getting one point from their last three outings. Instead, Mile Gully have won back-to-back games.
Knox College are still in contention, however, and are on 10 points, just two behind the leaders.
Bellefield High will be seeking a second win over Christiana High, after they had won the first meeting 1-0.
MONDAY’S GAMES
Sydney Pagon STEM vs BB Coke @ Sydney Pagon
Bellefield vs Christiana @ Bellefield
Alphansus Davis vs Holmwood @ Alphansus Davis
Mile Gully vs Knox @ Mile Gully Community Centre
Charlemont vs McGrath @ Charlemont
Enid Bennett vs Dinthill @ Knollis Community Centre
Cross Keys vs May Day @ Cross Keys
deCarteret vs Manchester @ deCarteret
Belair vs Mt St Joseph Catholic @ Belair
*Carron Hall vs St Mary High @ Stockholm Park (0-0)
*Wycliffe Martin vs Horace Clarke @ Wycliffe Martin (0-0)
*Ocho Rios vs Browns Town @ Drax Hall (0-0)
*Porus vs Old Harbour @ Porus Community Centre (0-5)
* Denotes games to be continued after they were called off due to bad weather.