Thomas doubtful for JC-Hydel clash
Jamaica College’s (JC) talisman, Shaneil ‘Chuppy’ Thomas, is not expected to feature against Hydel High School in their Group F ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup return match this afternoon at the Caymanas football field at 3:30 p.m. JC head coach Andrew Peart would not deny or confirm the prolific striker’s availability for today’s top-of-thetable contest.
“We will see tomorrow (today) if he plays,” Peart responded when asked if the player was fit to face their group rival.
According to a source close to the school, Thomas, who scored once in his team’s 8-0 win over Kingston High on Monday and was withdrawn midway the second half of the match, was said to be feeling a bit of discomfort in his hamstring. As a result, the coaches are very cautious about playing him today.
But with or without Thomas, Peart expects a very difficult contest. “We expect a tough encounter with Hydel playing at home. We have gained some momentum since the first game, so both teams are entering the clash on good form,” he said.
“We are expectant and we are prepared to win and match any challenge our opponents bring to us. Winning games is always good, but tomorrow will be a test of our ability to play big games, so this is a good challenge,” he added.
NOTHING MUCH TO GAIN
Corey Bennett, Hydel’s technical director, said there is nothing much to gain from winning the group, but believes a win over Jamaica College would be a significant morale boost.
“It’s another game for us at the beginning of the return games, but we want to keep the momentum going, and, hopefully, we can put up a good fight. But even a point would be a victory. They (JC) are the team that has won the Manning Cup for the last five years, so it would be good for us if we could get a result from them twice. Many thought the first one (1-1 draw) was a fluke, so we are going into the game to come away with a result. It’s just another game, but an important one to give you some momentum going forward,” he commented.
Jamaica College will look to players like Norman Campbell, Javan Thompson, Richard Thompson, Shadane Lopez and Calwayne Allen, while Hydel’s hopes will rest on striker Kemar Reid, Jevaughn Barclay and goalkeeper Shaquan Davis.