Cumberland eye top spot in Group A

by

October 07, 2019

Photo

Ian Allen Photo St Andrew Technical’s (STATHS) Nicholas Bennett (right) places a shot between the St Catherine High pair of Ian Cupee (left) and Isaac Dunkley (centre) to score during their ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup match played at STATHS last Friday. STATHS won 3-0.

The opportunity for Cumberland High to top Group A in the ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup is one that head coach Kemar Brown hopes that his squad does not squander when they host Clan Carthy High in a crucial encounter at the school grounds at 1 p.m. today.

The Portmore-based Cumberland are level on points with Holy Trinity High on 11 but are second in the group due to an inferior goal difference.

Brown’s early season prediction of the competitiveness of the group has come to pass. He hopes that they will be able to secure a result on their home ground after getting a hard-fought 1-0 win over their city rivals Bridgeport High.

“We are in a very competitive zone and we need the three points at home. Whenever we play at home the [only expectation] is to get three points,” Brown told STAR Sports. “The boys are well prepared for this matchup [today].”

The top five teams in Group A are locked in a fierce battle to advance to the second round with fourth-place Haile Selassie High and St Jago High in third breathing down the necks of the top two teams and Brown knows that dropping points is not an option as the group stage begin to wind down.

“There are no big names like a Kingston College or a Jamaica College, the teams are on the same level. It’s very competitive and this is not the time to slip up and lose points,” he cautioned.

The state of play in the group could change after today’s matches as Bridgeport can close the gap on the leaders when they face Haile Selassie at Royal Lakes, while St Jago and Holy Trinity will battle each other at the Spanish Town Prison Oval.