Christopher Nicholas, head coach of Tivoli Gardens High School, believes the 4-2 victory over Wolmer’s Boys’ in the ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup Zone E contest on Thursday is a major morale boost for his team ahead of the second round.

The hosts were led to victory by a brace each from Ryan-Oneil Francis, who scored in the 12th and 75th minutes, and Kaqummarie McKoy, who netted in the 24th and 68th.

Daniel Scarlett scored both goals for Wolmer’s in the 51st and 82nd minutes.

With Thursday’s win, Tivoli Gardens leapfrogged Wolmer’s to finish the preliminary round atop the zone with 27 points. Wolmer’s finished two points behind, while St Jago High (19 points) and Denham Town (seven) follow in third and fourth places, respectively.

The victory was especially sweet for Tivoli Gardens, who avenged the 2-4 defeat by Wolmer’s in their first meeting of the season at Mico last month.

Nicholas, a member of the Tivoli Gardens team that won the Manning Cup in 1999, said his players are feeling much more confident as they head into the second round.

“I am feeling good about this victory because these boys really put in a hard effort in this match, and so I am very excited for them,” he said.

“This will definitely build their confidence going into the next round because we have told them that all they have to do is believe in themselves and that is what they did in this game against Wolmer’s.

“Last year, we got knocked out at the quarter-finals, and so the plan is to go much further than that this year. The boys are working hard and I believe that they can do it, and I trust that they can achieve it with the help of God,” Nicholas stated.

Wolmer’s Head Coach Jerome Waite, who said his team had to do without five of their regular starting players, acknowledged that Tivoli were superior on the day.

“I believe that we defeated ourselves, but Tivoli looked like the better team because they wanted it more.

“We were without five of our first-string players due to injuries, but not to find any excuses. These are youngsters, and you have to give them an opportunity to show what they can do come the next round,” he explained.

Tivoli dominated the early exchanges and were rewarded when Francis rose above two defenders to head home a well-taken corner into the back of the net.

McKoy doubled the advantage with a curling right-footed shot past custodian Jelani Usim, as Tivoli led 2-0 at halftime. Scarlett reduced the deficit for Wolmer’s six minutes into the second half when his corner kick sailed through the hands of Tivoli Gardens goalkeeper Ricaldio Frederick and into the goal.

The fleet-footed McKoy restored Tivoli Gardens’ two-goal advantage when he headed home from point-blank range. Francis made it 4-1 in the 75th minute, while Scarlett added his second goal for Wolmer’s eight minutes from full-time.

— Robert Bailey

THURSDAY’S RESULTS

Tivoli Gardens 4, Wolmer’s 2

Kingston College 2, Campion 2

Denham Town 0, St Jago 4

FRIDAY’S GAMES

St George’s vs St Catherine at Winchester Park

Cumberland vs Jose Marti at Cumberland High

Penwood vs Meadowbrook at Maverley field