KINGSTON, Jamaica — Kings Football Academy’s qualification for next season’s Jamaica Football Championships has been described as “a massive step” by coach Veron Peterkin, after the St Ann club became one of two teams to secure promotion from the JFC Qualifying competition on Wednesday.

Kings Football Academy beat Axum SC 3-1 to top Group B, while York United of St Thomas edged Brown’s Town 1-0 to top Group A.

The other two qualifiers will be decided on Sunday’s final day of the competition.

Also on Wednesday, Cross United stayed in contention after beating Vineyard FC 6-1 in Group C, while Lucea United reclaimed the lead in Group D, on goal-difference over Coopers Pen, after hammering Russia FC 11-0, while Coopers Pen played out a 0-0 draw against Faulkland United.

At Drax Hall on Wednesday, Keneil Brown scored a double for King’s Football Academy in their 3-1 win over Axum SC to top the group with four points.

Peterkin said while they were a year behind in their timeline, they were pleased to be playing in the country’s second tier club competition.

“Playing in this competition is very necessary as we are hoping soon to be playing in the Premier League,” he told the Observer Online.

“This is a massive step for us,” he stressed.

Peterkin added that they had hoped to have qualified from last season but stumbled.

“We had some hiccups last season, we thought we would have qualified then but we are there now and that is what is important. We knew that we could not miss this year,” he argued.

After drawing 1-1 with Axum in the first leg, King’s Football Academy stepped up on Wednesday with Brown, who was a standout player for Peterkin at Ocho Rios High in the ISSA daCosta Cup competition two seasons ago, scoring in the 65th and 68th minutes after Anthonio Mitchell had give them the lead in the 23rd minute.

Demarr Knox scored a consolation goal for Axum SC in the 85th minute.

At Vauxhall High, Rivaldo Johnson’s 59th minute goal was enough for York United against Brown’s Town as they moved to an unbeatable eight points.

After just edging Vineyard 3-2 in their first round meeting, Cross United made full use of home advantage with two players Rwanie Rampasaul and Rakeem Rampasaul both scoring braces in the lopsided win.

Avantae Goulbourn and Tevin Burton also scored for Cross United who improved to six points, three behind leaders Mile Gully United, who they will meet in Sunday’s final round.

Zone D will also go down the final day with three teams still in with a mathematical chance of qualifying.

Lucea United took the lead on goal-difference after an 11-0 trouncing of hapless Russia FC in Lucea on Wednesday, just ahead of Coopers Pen who got a valuable point in their goal-less draw against Faulkland United at the Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium.

Both Lucea and Coopers Pen are on 10 points, two more than Faulkland, all with one game to play.

Okayrie Donaldson led the Lucea attack with a second half hat-trick, while Jermaine Thorpe and Orlando Barrett both scored braces, while Romario Atkinson, Ryan Brown, Andre Walcott and Davalio Gillard all got on the score sheet.

Wednesday’s results:

Brown’s Town-0, York United-1

King Football Academy-3, Axum SC-1

Cross United-6, Vineyard FC- 1

Lucea United-11, Russia FC-0

Coopers Pen FC-0, Faulkland United-0

-Paul Reid