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Knox College coach, Alexander Morgan. - Richard Bryan photo
As the second stage of the preliminary round of the ISSA/Gatorade/Digicel daCosta Cup kicks off at various venues this week, the Manchester-based Zone G has now firmly established itself as the toughest to call, with the battle for the two inter-zone spots likely to be decided no sooner than the final game on Saturday, October 15.
Following Saturday's games, a whopping six teams remain in the hunt. They are led by Manchester High on 14 points, followed by Knox on 11, Bellefield and Christiana on nine and Spaldings on eight. Mile Gully and Holmwood, who complete the zone, do not appear to possess the depth of the others, and are unlikely to get any results which could increase the mere mathematical chances they now have.
Of the lot, Manchester are the only unbeaten team and are yet to concede a goal. Even with a new coach at the helm, their position at the top is not unexpected given their consistent run of the last four years and the strength of their programme in terms of finance and pool of players available. Spaldings were expected to provide the main challenge as group leaders with Bellefield as dark horses. It is the improved performance of Knox, traditional minnows in these parts, that has thrown the cat among the pigeons, making it so difficult to predict even the likely zone
winners.
Knox's 11 points have come from 0-0 draws against Manchester and Spaldings, 3-0 win against Bellefield, 2-0 over Mile Gully, and 1-0 over Holmwood. They are also hopeful, by way of a formal protest, to have ISSA overturn a 2-1 defeat to Christiana on September 14, a game they played under protest after one of their players was attacked by an alleged Christiana spectator as he got ready to execute a corner kick.
But even if that falls through, Alexander Morgan, coach of the last three years, believes Knox will make it to the inter-zone for the first time under his watch.
"We have a chance and a good one to advance (inter-zone)," a confident Morgan predicted when he spoke to STAR Sports last Saturday.
The test of that resolve will come on Wednesday when they travel to Mandeville to face Manchester High.
"We have seen all the teams, and we know what tactical changes we have to make to ensure we either maintain this performance or improve ... ," Morgan said as he numbered among the hundreds of spectators who watched Manchester defeat Spaldings last Saturday in Mandeville.
He believes the competitive showing in Zone G is good for several reasons.
"This is the most competitive zone so far, and it is very good for football and good for the fans. Any team that advances now I believe will have a chance of lifting the Cup."
