DEFENDING champions Kingston College (KC) began the defence of their ISSA Wata Manning Cup title, dismissing Charlie Smith High 3-0 in their Zone I match at Stadium East yesterday.

The slick-moving Shareef Ricketts scored two goals from the penalty spot in the 75th and 83rd minutes. Deshawn Byfield opened the scoring in the 58th minute.

The Harbour View Jamaica Premier League player collected a ball at the top of the box, swivelled, and fired home.

But the game could have been different had Charlie Smith taken two clear-cut chances in the first half.

KC started like a house on fire, dominating the early exchange, but it was Charlie Smith who got the clearest of chances in the 10th minute as George Pringle failed to convert from point-blank range.

Just before half-time he got a similar chance but again he failed to beat goalkeeper Justin Williams from close range.

Kajay Fletcher of KC got a glorious chance as he burst through the Charlie Smith backline, but instead of kicking he tried to dribble past goalkeeper Andre Bogle and was robbed of the ball just before half-time.

But like the champions they are, KC turned it around with three goals in the second half and could have won by a wider margin as Charlie Smith’s heads and energy dropped.

Winning coach Vassell Reynolds said he is pleased as KC are normally slow starters in the Manning Cup, and he likes what he saw.

“I thought it was a decent effort,” he said. “I didn’t expect a perfect game. It’s the first game, but we have done a lot in the preseason and I figured what we’ve done would have got us through.

“I thought we started well, a good 15 minutes, then we slacked off and Charlie Smith took over the midfield. The second half, we came out with a lot more purpose and got an early goal, and it was kind of a fairly smooth sailing [match] after that.

“It was a decent effort. First game, and we will accept this kind of performance. Three points were what was essential.”

However, Charlie Smith’s coach, Eugene Williams, was livid at the officiating and the meltdown from his players.

“It’s a game of two halves,” he said. “When you get your chances and you don’t take them, this is the result,” said Williams who captained Charlie Smith to the 1986 Manning Cup final, which they lost to KC.

“The first goal for KC was a dubious call from the referee because one of my players was fouled and he allowed the play to continue. But, such is the game,” he lamented.

But Williams was quick to point out that his team will only get better having contested this game without some of his top players, due to internal issues.

However, he saw some positives as they matched KC for long periods.

“You can see that we competed. The score is not a true reflection of the game,” he said.

Kingston College’s Deshawn Byfield (left) shields the ball from Charlie Smith High’s Malachi Palmer.Karl McLarty