DESPITE his team’s 4-0 victory over Tarrant High in the ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup tournament, Excelsior High Head Coach Keon Broderick felt his players should have been more consistent in front of goal.

Renaldino Medwinter scored twice in the third and 52nd minutes, Stephen Bailey scored in the 66th minute, and Damar Edwards scored in the 87th minute, to ensure Excelsior took all three points from their Group D match against Tarrant on Friday. Other Group D games saw St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) defeat Clan Carthy 4-0 and Bridgeport defeat Cedar Grove 4-0.

“I am not pleased with the level of chances that we converted. I thought we could have converted more chances in the 18-yard box,” Broderick told the Jamaica Observer.

“The field, however, made it difficult for us to play our nature style of football but, nonetheless, credit must be given to the boys in how they controlled the game. Every time we play a game, one of the objectives is to control the moments in the game — and I think we did a good job of that today.

“I really thought that we could have done much better in front of goal. We are trying to convert chances because we need goals just to creep up a little bit closer behind STATHS as it relates to goal difference.”

Alrick Clarke, his opposite number, thought that defeat was a necessary part of his team’s development.

“Well, they have improved a little,” Clarke said. “The last time we lost 7-0 [so this time] we managed to cut it down to 4-0 in terms of goals scored against us. I’m not happy with how they did but it’s a work in progress and we’ll have to keep working to see where we end up in the long run.”

As predicted, Excelsior seized control of the game early on and dominated Tarrant. They also seemed to be the more settled of the two sides as they had more control of the ball and were also more aggressive. Medwinter got his team the lead in the third minute, heading home past Tarrant goalkeeper Domonique Lowe.

Terrence Williams then had three excellent chances to put Excelsior two up, but his purpose was lacking in creativity. When he had ample time to approach the goal he blasted over the crossbar from 25 yards in the 24th minute. He received a nice pass a minute later but, instead of creating room, he blasted into the wall. His third try, when he was unmarked in the box and had ample time to take a shot, proved to be a bad placement as he blasted right into the palms of Lowe in the 31st minute.

Tarrant had several opportunities of their own but their attackers lacked the desire to capitalise on them.

Tyrique McKane sent in a corner kick, but Excelsior goalkeeper Arthur Lamoth intercepted Dumarie Mascoll’s planned header in what was Tarrant’s best chance to level the game in the 43rd minute.

Tarrant was the more active of the two sides in the second half, with a pair of shots in the first two minutes. The only excitement thereafter came from the home team, as Excelsior took control and dominated the rest of the game. Medwinter scored his and Excelsior’s second goal in the 52nd minute, with a shot from 25 yards on the left side of the field that sailed into the top-right corner. Bailey extended Excelsior’s lead in the 66th minute with a long-range strike.

Excelsior attempted additional goals but the attackers were wasteful in their efforts, firing several useless shots in the air. When it appeared that there would be no more goals Edwards scored three minutes before full time.

— Ruddy Allen