Dinthill, Charlemont set for mouth-watering contest
DINTHILL Technical and Paul Bogle High will go in search of their seventh straight win, respectively, as the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association dacosta Cup football competition continues Saturday with 24 games across 10 zones.
Former champions St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) and Clarendon College as well as Manning’s School and Irwin High, who will be defending perfect win records.
The matches will be a mix of first- and return-round games as well as rescheduled contests due to the impact of poor weather over the past two weeks.
Wins for Dinthill Technical, Paul Bogle, STETHS, and Manning’s School would also significantly increase their chances of securing early qualification for the next round set to be played between October 21 and 26.
Dinthill Technical and Charlemont High have built up a rivalry in the past few seasons with games between the two St Catherine-based schools rich in intensity.
Two-time former champions Dinthill have had the better of the sides in the past few meetings but had to dig deep for a slender 4-3 win in their first meeting this season. That loss is the only blemish on Charlemont’s record so far.
Dinthill leads all schools so far with 33 goals, scoring 10 goals in a game twice. Giovanni Afflick will hope to add to his nine goals scored so far, while Daniel Roberts is next with six goals.
Paul Bogle, who host St Thomas Technical, should be eager to add to their already historic start and will seek to win seven straight, a feat no team from the eastern end of the island has ever achieved.
One goal had separated the teams in the first round, with Paul Bogle winning 3-2. But the leaders have since scored 19 goals, while St Thomas Technical managed just three goals in their next four games. They are on five points and are all but out of contention for the next round.
Manning’s School had to come back from a deficit in their last game to beat Grange Hill and face a young Black River team that is winless while scoring just once in their five games.
STETHS have been quiet but effective this season and among four schools yet to allow a goal. Their relatively small tally of 11 goals in five games is a departure from the usually high scoring teams of the past.
They face BB Coke who they edged 1-0 in Junction on September 21 and are expected to collect another three points and possibly move to within a game of securing a second-round berth.
Irwin High will try to avoid looking past St James High after their heroics earlier this week, coming from behind to beat Cornwall College, but will start favourites to win their fifth straight.
Irwin have grown in confidence since beating St James High 1-0 in their opening game. But that is also the only game St James have lost and they will have ambitions of catching the zone leaders napping.
Many-time former champions Clarendon College will seek win number three when they take on Edwin Allen High in a twice rescheduled game at Foga Road, starting at 2:00 pm.
Clarendon have breezed through their first two games, scoring 10 goals in the process, but Edwin Allen could prove to be their first real test of the season.
Edwin Allen lead Zone H with seven points from their three games but were held 1-1 by Thompson Town in their most recent game.
Joint Zone J leaders Tacky High and Horace Clarke (formerly Islington High) will hope to increase their lead with wins today.
Both are on 11 points from five games, five more than third-placed St
Mary High and St Mary Technical who will also face each other on Saturday.
Tacky, who lead on goal-difference, will host Wycliffe Martin High after drawing 2-2 in the first round. Horace Clarke High hosts Annotto Bay, who they had beaten 1-0.