THE battle for places in the championship decider of the ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel Manning Cup football competition takes place this afternoon with semi-final action at the Habour View Mini-Stadium.

Two-time champions (2002 and 2006) Bridgeport High will oppose 1987 winners St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) at 1:00 pm, before title-holders St George’s College take on seven-time winners Excelsior High at 3:00.

Bridgeport secured the last semi-final spot by thrashing Waterford High, 8-0, on Monday to top Group Two of the quarter-final round on goal difference ahead of Waterford and Eltham, who also ended on six points.

STATHS progressed to the last four as the best second-placed finishers in Group Three after Excelsior took group honours on goal difference.

Bridgeport’s coach Anthony Patrick will be depending on the competition’s leading scorer Darren Mattocks, who has netted 23 goals, along with his senior teammates, Jameil Hardware and Adoah Nikle, to lead his team to victory.

“Definitely, the approach is to go all out in attack and try to win the game because that’s our strength,” Patrick said.

“We need to marshall the midfield with Hardware and Ramone Bryan so that they can supply the forward passes and ensure that we get some goals,” he added.

His oppose number, Keith Nichol of STATHS, says he charges are ready for the challenge of Bridgeport.

“They’re not overexcited or anything, but they know the job that they have to do because last year we ended up in a situation like this and got knocked out,” Nichol said.

“We know it’s a serious match and we have to go out there and do what we have to do tactically and we’ll come out victorious if our team plays to their true potential,” he added.

Beaten Walker Cup finalists St George’s secured their spot in the semi-finals by topping Group One, which included Walker Cup champions Jamaica College, Calabar and Wolmer’s Boys’.

Assistant coach of St George’s, Marcel Gayle, says his team is rested and ready for the challenge of Excelsior.

“Fans can expect good, exciting football from St George’s College as we seek to pass around the ball and lock down our opponents,” Gayle said. “We’re concerned about Excelsior, but we did our homework and we know what we have to do,” he added.

Excelsior’s veteran coach Leebert Halliman, who complained of losing his captain and leading goal scorer prior to the season, says his depleted team is ready for their toughest match of the season against the defending champions.

“Certain elements within our organisation depleted my team from the beginning of the season… It’s hard work and with the mercy of the Almighty that we are here (so) we take it very seriously and that really motivated us and we’ll be giving it our best shot…,” Halliman said.

“This is the Manning Cup and there is only one way out… so we just have to think positive; go out there and give it our best shot; try to make less mistakes and if we make less mistakes, for sure everything should come our way,” he added.