KINGSTON, Jamaica— Central High, last season’s beaten finalists, clawed their way back from a disastrous start to qualify for the second round of the ISSA/Wata daCosta Cup football competition after beating Old Harbour 2-1 in their return round Zone L game played on Saturday.

After losing their first two games of the season by a 10-1 aggregate, Central High were unbeaten over their next six games to end the first round with 16 points, three behind Zone winners Glenmuir High who edged Denbigh High 2-1.

James Gallimore and James Dyer scored for Central High who earned 13 points in their last six games.

Six schools punched their tickets to the second round on Saturday, including Black River High who advanced from the first round for the first time in 19 years after beating Knockalva Technical 4-0.

BB Coke, Tacky High, St Mary High and Vere Technical all made progress as 26 schools have now booked an automatic spot in the next round.

Adrian Johnson scored a hat-trick and Nathan Watson got the other as Black River High won their fifth game of the season as they finished with 16 points and placed second to Manning’s School who beat Grange Hill 6-1 to top Zone D with 19 points.

BB Coke got the point they needed from their game against St Elizabeth Technical, drawing 1-1 to claim the second place with 20 points, one more than Munro College who beat Lacovia High 2-0.

Tacky High and St Mary High both ended on 20 points to claim both spots from Zone I; Tacky beat Wycliffe Martin High 4-1 while St Mary High were 2-1 winners over Horace Clarke High.

Former daCosta Cup kingpins Vere Technical also secured their place with a 4-0 victory over Foga Road High to claim second place in Zone M behind winners Garvey Maceo High.

In other games, Cornwall College came from a goal down at half time to win for the second time this season, edging St James High 2-1 with a penalty in time added by Deshaun Talbert.

The game was headed for a draw when St James High’s Arlando Calvert fouled Braxton Richards inside the penalty area, giving up the penalty.

Ramoy Brown had given St James High the lead after 12 minutes before Dane Buckley drew Cornwall College level in the 60th minute.

Champions Clarendon College and Manchester High joined Happy Grove High as schools that completed their first round schedule with perfect win records.

Clarendon College blanked Edwin Allen High 3-0 in their Zone H top of the zone clash while Manchester High beat second placed Belair High 3-1 in their Zone E game.

Results from Saturday’s games:

Maldon High 1, Irwin High 3

Cornwall College 2, St James High 1

Green Pond High 7, Spot Valley High 0

Ocho Rios High 0, Brown’s Town High 0

Black River High 4, Knockalva Tech 0

Grange Hill High 1, Manning’s School 6

STETHS 1, BB Coke High 1

Lacovia High 0, Munro College 2

deCarteret College 1, May Day High 2

Manchester High 3, Belair High 1

Cross Keys 2, Mt St Joseph Catholic 1

Alphansus Davis High 0, Mile Gully High 0

Clarendon College 3, Edwin Allen 0

Tacky High 4, Wycliffe Martin High 1

St Mary High 2, Horace Clarke High 1

Paul Bogle High 2, Morant Bay High 1

Robert Lightbourne High 2, Yallahs High 3

Central High 2, Old Harbour High 1

Glenmuir High 2, Denbigh High 1

Foga Road High 0, Vere Tech 4

Garvey Maceo High 4, Kemps Hill 3

-Paul A Reid