Manning’s School are through to the second round of the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association/Wata daCosta Cup football competition after beating Knockabout Technical 3-0 in their Zone D return game played in Savanna-la-Mar on Wednesday.

The Everton Tomlinson-coached Manning’s, back-to-back semi-finalists from the two previous campaigns, won their fifth game of the season to improve to 16 points. They reclaimed sole leadership of Zone D after going into the game trailing Petersfield High on goal difference. Manning’s only need a point from their final game against Grange Hill to win the zone.

Gregory Phillips scored twice on Wednesday and Akieme Gordon got the other goal for Manning’s to become the 15th school to secure their place in the next round.

Cornwall College, Cedric Titus High and St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) were declared winners of their respective zones after wins on Wednesday.

Cornwall College won Zone A for the first time since the 2019 season after beating Spot Valley High 4-1 in their return game. They got a double from Lincoln Cox and one each from Dane Buckley and Javaine Barnes.

The win took the 12-time champions to 23 points. After ending 1-1 with Green Pond High, the best tally closest rivals Irwin High can manage is 22 points.

Cedric Titus edged Browns Town High 2-1 and improved to 25 points, more than any other team in Zone C can attain. St Elizabeth Technical’s 1-1 result against arch rivals Munro College saw them inch up to an unassailable 23 points in Zone E.

BB Coke moved to within a point of advancing from Zone E after a 3-1 win over Lacovia High. The result snapped BB Coke’s two-game losing skid.

William Knibb Memorial kept their slim hopes of advancing alive after beating Ocho Rios High 2-0 in their Zone C play-off game.

On Thursday, Mile Gully High, Belair High and Edwin Allen High can advance with wins.

Leaders Mile Gully, who are on 18 points, will be the first qualifiers from Zone G if they can beat Knox College.

Belair High would join Manchester High in the next round if they can beat May Day High in their Zone F game.

Edwin Allen will seek to join Clarendon College if they can beat contenders Lennon High.