Rusea's Terreto Jones (left) shields the ball away from Jamaica College's (JC) Shamal Thomas during their ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel first-leg Olivier Shield match at the Constant Spring Sports Complex yesterday. JC won 1-0. - Ian Allen

An 11th-minute strike from playmaker Ashani Walker carried Manning Cup champions Jamaica College (JC) to an exciting 1-0 win over daCosta Cup winners Rusea's High, in the first leg of the ISSA/ Pepsi/Digicel Olivier Shield play-off, at the Constant Spring Sports Complex yesterday.

The return leg game will be played on Saturday at Jarrett Park.

Ian Forbes, manager of the Old Hope Road-based JC, who are seeking to capture all three senior schoolboy football titles on offer for the first time in their history, was very happy for the victory.

"I think it was a workman like performance from the boys because they played with a lot of guts and determination," said Forbes.

"We are going to take it one game at a time because the aim is to win all games and so we are very grateful for this result."

Forbes added: "We know that the second leg will be a very tough game, but our boys are prepared and so we are going there with a positive mind."

confident

The Dark Blues began the match very confidently, and were awarded a penalty 11th minutes into the game, when Andre Messam's left-sided cross was handled inside the 18-yard area by Rusea's defender Nakeedo Lewis. Walker stepped up to fire the spot kick past Rusea's custodian Lamoy Graham.

Two minutes later, Messam though he had doubled his team's advantage, but his curling 20-yard free kick was cleared of the goal line by a Rusea's defender.

Miguel Jones received Rusea's best chance of the first half, but his powerful close range header was cleared off the goal line by Andre Powell on the stroke of half time.

Rusea's stepped in their game in the second period, and were awarded in penalty in 63rd minute. However, Brian Brown failed to covert the kick as he fired a left-footed shot high over the crossbar. Moments later, Rusea's Anthony Walker's close range effort was denied by the crossbar.

The daCosta Cup champions, were then reduced to 10-players in the 77th minute, when Jones was sent off after receiving a second yellow card.

Anthony 'Follies Williams coach of the Hanover-based Rusea's was gracious in defeat, but is very confident his charges can bounced back on Saturday at Jarrett Park.

"I knew that this was going to be a very tough game for us because the JC team is used to playing on this ground and so we took sometime to adjust to conditions here," said Williams.

"However, I think that we were more dominant them in second half because we missed a penalty and we also had another chance that was denied by the crossbar."