C’Smith overcome dry conditions to post 4-1 win
CHARLIE SMITH High School withstood very dry conditions to overpower Meadowbrook High 4-1 in their opening Group C encounter of the 2018 Digicel Manning Cup football competition at the Meadowbrook Community Centre yesterday.
The Trench Town-based school was forced to use up all five of their substitutions as almost half of the players suffered from muscle cramps at some stage of the contest. But the encumbrance was not enough to impede the former champions as goals from Bebeto Reid (7th), Kemoy Bailey (16th), Renaldo Cephas (63rd), and Trevante Stewart (78th) secured all three points.
“I think we have to step up our hydration, but despite that, we achieved the most important thing – which is to win,” said assistant coach of Charlie Smith Eugene Williams. “We have two days to recover for our next match, and we should be better, because we will be playing on a better surface, which is not as dry as this one and we can promise a much better performance at home.”
Though they were playing catch-up from the first 20 minutes of the game, Meadowbrook showed some brilliance in the 24th minute when midfielder Rusean McFarqhar curled a free kick from just outside the 18yard box into the top right-hand corner of the goal to half the deficit before the half-way mark.
LOVELY PLAYER
“He is a lovely player. He came to Meadowbrook in Grade 9, and the special thing about him is that he trains by himself. After we finish practicing, he will be out here still taking free-kicks and as the competition goes on more people will see how good he is,” said Neo Oxford, coach of Meadowbrook High.
Oxford was also pleased with his team’s effort.
“We have some slight issues that we have to work on, but I think as the season goes on, we will rectify them. I think we played the team that is expected to top the group today, so it should get easier from here,” Oxford said.
Other results: Jonathan Grant 0 Norman Manley 1; Eltham 0 Camperdown 1; Jamaica College 1 Hydel 1; Jose Marti 0 Wolmer’s Boys 1; Waterford 0 Holy Trinity 1.