Gladstone Taylor

Excelsior High's Cadine Graham (right) and Jabari Howell of Holy Trinity fight for possession of the ball during their ISSA/LIME Manning Cup match at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex yesterday. Excelsior won 12-0.

SHAYNE FAIRMAN, Star Writer

Jamaica College (JC) remained on course to retain the Manning Cup, after edging Excelsior to a semi-final spot from Group J, courtesy of a superior goal difference in the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/LIME Manning Cup football competition. The game was played at the Constant Spring Sports Complex yesterday.

The group decider went to the final whistle, as Excelsior entered the contest with a better goal difference and JC needed goals to ensure advancing. There were goals galore. In the end it came down to which team could outdo the other, on a day defences went on holiday.

The Old Hope Road institution ran out with a big 16-0 win over Denham Town. Striker Junior Flemmings netted five goals, while Allando Brown scored a hat-trick in the mauling.

Excelsior, on the other hand, had their own goal-scoring fest, with a whopping 12-0 victory over Holy Trinity. They went into the half-time break with a 4-0 cushion. Captain Christopher Thorpe scored four times in minutes eight, 31, 57 and 78. Thorpe ended the competition with 13 goals.

Samuel Halliman also netted four in minutes 60, 61, 65 and 67. Cadine Graham hit a brace in the 12th and 83rd minutes. While Romario Brown rounded out the goal fest with another brace in minutes 18 and 86. Samuel Halliman who netted four on the trot was left disappointed with not making it to the semis.

"It's just a lesson in football, we fought all the way," he said.

"It's my final year in the Manning Cup so I wanted to make it special," he said. Halliman scored nine times overall.

Excelsior coach, Leebert Halliman, praised his team's fight.

"I can't complain about the game, the guys gave it their best shot," he said. Meanwhile, Holy Trinity's coach, Devon Anderson, rued his team's poor performance. "We rested our key players for the Lime Super Cup on Saturday. Our bench just didn't turn up," noted Anderson.