Tuesday, September 10, 2024

22 THE STAR SPORTS • Tuesday, September 10, 2024 @JamaicaStar www.facebook.com/JamaicaStar • www.jamaica-star.com LIVINGSTON SCOTT STAR Writer M any-time champions Kingston College (KC) got an early shocker from Penwood High and never quite recovered in their ISSA WATA Manning Cup football match yesterday that finished 2-2 at Maverley playing field in St Andrew. Penwood High, the home team, stunned the overwhelming favourites with just 15 seconds gone is the first half when Javanny Bullock bulldozed through KC’s defence right from the kick-off and fired a shot past Dominic Robinson in goal, to give his team the lead. “The 15-second goal shook us up a bit, and we took some time to settle down,” admitted Kingston College’s coach, Vassell Reynolds. “We panicked and that was way too early to panic. And then we started to chase the game. “We scored the equaliser and thought we would settle but we conceded a second one before we really got going,” he recapped. The ‘Purples’ created a number of scoring chances before eventually levelling the score in the 37th minute when Deshawn Byfield stabbed home a rebound. However, Jason Keyes headed home Lamar Robinson’s cross to restore Penwood’s advantage less than a minute after the restart. The Robert Garwood-coached Penwood kept their more fancied rivals at bay up to the 90th minute, when Matrim Martin capitalised on a miscalculated backpass to goalkeeper Richard Johnson, and Byfield collected the rebound and slotted home his second goal, one minute into added time. Reynolds said that in the second half they gave everything and played well enough to have won the game. “We created chances but my concern is the way we conceded. We gave up two silly goals. But credit to Penwood, they employed tactics to run down the time and it frustrated and disrupted our rhythm. “If this is to come (result), let it come now. It’s an early wake-up call. Your first encounter, no matter the team you are playing against, there are always going to be jitters,” Reynolds continued. “We got one point today. We expected three. It is a setback but we will be fine. We will get rid of this as soon as possible and (get) ready for our next game on Saturday.” Despite giving up that late equaliser, Garwood said their form from the preseason is coming to fruition and he hopes this result can inspire them to greater things this season. In fact, the coach is optimistic his team can advance to the second round. “We started out saying we want to qualify from the zone first. That is our first objective and we are taking it one match at a time,” he said “We are glad we got one of the favourites to play in our first game. And KC were asking questions because we did well in our preseason and it was proven today, the questions they were asking they were really concerned and we should have won they game,” Garwood said. Nevertheless, he is pleased with how his team played. “(The) performance was good. I like the performance. Defensively, we have to do some work and I will go back to the drawing board defensively and do some work. But the attacking part of the team is very good,” he added. livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com ‘The 15-second goal shook us up a bit’ OTHER RESULTS Manning Cup Zone B Tarrant 0 Charlie Smith 4 Gaynstead 0 Jonathan Grant 8 Zone C Penwood 2 Kingston College 2 Cumberland 0 Campion College 4 Meadowbrook 1 Jose Marti 2 Zone E Tivoli 2 Denham Town 1 St Jago 1 Wolmer’s Boys’ 3 daCosta Cup Iona High 0 Titchfield High 10 St Mary High 6 Horace Clarke High 1 Penwood stun KC with early goal in Manning Cup clash D espite losing two of their main players, Brian Burkett and Adrian Reid Jr, from last season, St George’s College will look to start their Manning Cup season on a positive note when they take on neighbours Holy Trinity in a Zone G game at Winchester Park. The Neville ‘Bertis’ Bell-coached ‘Georgians’ last won the title in 2012 and made the Manning Cup final in 2018, where they lost to North Street rivals Kingston College. Last season, the school made it to the semifinals and lost to eventual winners Mona High. Holy Trinity, on the other hand, have not been the force they were under former coach Devon Anderson, who left for Hydel in 2022. In Nicholas Stewarts’ two seasons as coach of the team, they failed to challenge for a second-round spot, and are not expected to offer much of a contest to the home team, who traditionally start well. livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com StGC tackle neighbours Holy Trinity OTHER GAMES Zone A Hydel v Ardenne at Royal Lakes Clan Carty v Eltham at Alpha Academy Zone F Pembroke Hall v JC at Pembroke Hall Ascot v Bridgeport at Ferdie Neita Park Spanish Town High v Excelsior at Prison Oval Zone G Norman Manley v St Catherine at Maxfield Park *All games are scheduled to kick off at 3:30 p.m. Penwood High School players embrace Jason Keyes (second left) after he scored against Kingston College during their drawn ISSA/ WATA Manning Cup football match at Maverley playing field yesterday. The game ended 2-2. A ntoine L odge P hotos Penwood High School’s Javanny Bullock (centre) bursts between Kingston College’s Shareef Ricketts (left) and Kajay Fletcher during the ISSA WATA Manning Cup football match at Maverley playing field. The game ended 2-2.