Spot Valley aim to upstage Rusea’s

by

October 17, 2024

Photo

St Elizabeth Technical High School’s (STETHS) Deandre Barnett (left) tackles Munro College’s Jason Wilson during their Zone E football match in the ISSA/WATA daCosta Cup competition at the STETHS on Saturday. STETHS won 2-1. Both schools advanced to the second round.

Despite feeling like underdogs going into today's ISSA/WATA daCosta Cup second-round game against Rusea's High, Spot Valley High coach Damion Nelson says they aim to go all out and win the 3:30 p.m. fixture at the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium in Trelawny.

Spot Valley created history by finishing atop Zone D, while Rusea's finished second in Zone B. Both schools are in Group One with Cornwall College and Kemps Hill High.

"It is a home game so we have to go all out and play to win ... When it comes on to the second round, it's not about who plays the best football but who can score and defend properly. It is more psychological than physical," Nelson said.

As for preparations, Nelson, a former Rusea's player, said that Spot Valley have never gone past the quarterfinals and will be looking to capitalise on Rusea's weaknesses.

"Most of their games come on YouTube, so we know their strengths and weaknesses. Based on our review of how they play, we will put what we did in training and execute as a plan," Nelson said.

He continued: "We got more rest so we put in a system of play and how we want to approach the game. We expect to play a good game, score and not concede."

Paul 'Tegat' Davis, head coach of Rusea's High, reasoned that if the team is consistently disciplined they will do well against any team.

"I hope that by winning games, the players will be confident, start believing in themselves and go all the way. We are a young team not playing the best brand of football, but in getting goals we can be successful. We need to play our game, be mindful of what they can do and pick our moments to go at them," Davis told STAR Sports.

"We are playing a hungry Spot Valley team. They beat one of the better teams, William Knibb, and didn't lose any games in the first round. They are playing some good football," Davis added.