Camperdown's Shawn Smith tussles for possession with Kingston Technical's Neko Duff (right) during their ISSA/Gatorade/Digicel Manning Cup clash at Clan Carthy playing field. - Gladstone Taylor

Two-time defending Walker Cup champions Jamaica College's automatic qualification to the knockout competition could hinge on their Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/ Gatorade/Digicel Manning Cup Group D encounter tomorrow against leaders Camperdown.

With only the winners of the seven groups guaranteed progression to the Walker Cup, along with the best second-place team, Jamaica College will be keen to wrestle the leadership of the group from Camperdown.

The Christopher Bender-coached Camperdown team leads the group with 13 points, one more than their opponents who they scored somewhat of a surprise 1-0 win over in the season's curtain-raiser.

The group is completed by St Jago Kingston Technical, Pembroke Hall and Cumberland.

Camperdown will be buoyed by the fact that they are playing at home, having won both games played there; scoring 14 goals while conceding none. In total, they have managed 18 goals, while allowing three in five games.

"Our first objective is to consolidate our position in the group, but we are aware that this game is going to be very difficult, so we are preparing for it," Bender said.

"We are aware that based on the results, JC have improved (since the first game), so we just have to go there and bring our A game to the party," he added.

Bender is cognisant that there is not much separating the two teams and knows it will come down to who employs the better tactics.

team's busy schedule

"There is not much difference between the teams in the group, what will make the difference on the day is the psychological approach to the game and there is what we have to concentrate on mainly," Bender said. "What is going to give us the edge is the mental capacity to go in the game and perform at a level consistently over 90 minutes," he added.

Bender is, however, lamenting his team's busy schedule, which sees them playing three games in seven days.

"For the team to recover is a bit difficult, for we have injuries which will prevent players from playing on Friday," Bender disclosed. "It is not about the player, it is about the system we have at Camperdown, so once they understand the system, players will step in and should fill the gap," he added.

JC have racked up four wins on the trot after their opening day lost, scoring 21 goals while conceding three. JC's head coach Alfred Henry and assistant coach Delroy Brown could not be reached for comment.

Tomorrow's games

Group B

Tivoli vs Denham Town

Hydel vs Waterford

Papine vs Campion

Group D

Camperdown vs Jamaica College

Pembroke Hall vs Cumberland

Kingston Tech vs St Jago

Group F

Donald Quarrie vs Trench Town

Norman Manley vs Ardenne

Penwood vs Kingston College

Group G

Oberlin vs St Mary's College

STATHS vs Jose Marti

Manning Cup group standings

Pld W L D GF GA GD Pts

GROUP A

Calabar 4 4 0 0 19 1 18 12

Excelsior 4 3 1 0 12 2 10 9

St Catherine 4 1 2 1 4 8 -4 4

Holy Trinity 4 1 2 1 3 12 -9 4

Greater Port 4 0 4 0 1 16 -15 0

GROUP B

Hydel High 4 4 0 0 14 2 12 12

Waterford 4 3 0 1 3 0 3 10

Tivoli 5 2 1 2 4 4 0 8

Den Town 5 2 3 0 6 5 1 6

Papine High 5 0 3 2 3 13 -10 2

Campion 5 0 4 1 1 7 -6 1

GROUP C

Charlie Smith 5 4 0 1 16 6 10 13

Ascot 5 3 0 2 7 4 3 11

Wolmer's Boys 5 2 1 2 12 9 3 8

Dunoon 5 1 3 1 1 6 -5 4

Haile Selassie 5 0 2 3 5 7 -2 3

Vauxhall 5 0 4 1 3 12 -9 1

GROUP D

Camperdown 5 4 0 1 18 2 16 13

JC 5 4 1 0 21 3 18 12

St Jago 5 2 1 2 12 4 8 8

Kingston Tech 5 1 3 1 4 7 -3 4

Pembroke Hall 5 0 2 3 2 9 -7 3

Cumberland 5 0 4 1 0 32 -3 2 1

Pld W L D GF GA GD Pts

GROUP E

St George's 5 4 0 1 26 1 25 13

Spanish Town 5 3 0 2 14 1 13 11

Meadowbrook 5 2 1 2 7 11 -4 8

Innswood 5 1 2 2 9 9 0 5

Tarrant High 5 1 3 1 5 11 -6 4

Edith Dalton 5 0 5 0 4 32 -28 0

GROUP F

Kington College 4 4 0 0 16 6 10 12

Norman Manley 4 2 2 0 9 7 2 6

Donald Quarrie 4 2 2 0 5 6 -1 6

Penwood 4 1 2 1 6 9 -3 4

Ardenne 4 0 3 1 3 11 -8 1

GROUP G

Bridgeport 4 3 0 1 10 2 8 10

STATHS 4 3 1 0 8 3 5 9

Jose Marti 4 2 1 1 6 3 3 7

St Mary's 4 1 3 0 2 7 -5 3

Oberlin High 4 0 4 0 1 12 -11 0