St Jago, Bridgeport in top Group G clash
Clan Clarthy High’s Michael Robinson (left) and Charlie Smith High’s Omario Fisher in an aerial battle for the ball during their ISSA-FLOW Manning Cup football encounter at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex on Thursday.
ST JAGO High and Bridgeport High will meet in a top clash in Group G of the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)-FLOW Manning Cup football competition at the Spanish Town Prison Oval in St Catherine today, starting at 3 p.m.
Both teams enter the game on seven points apiece from three games, but St Jago have a better goal difference. The St Jago team has scored four goals, with none against, while former champions Bridgeport scored four times, with two goals against.
With an automatic FLOW Cup spot at stake for the group winner and also spots in the Manning Cup second round and Walker Cup knockout competitions, the teams are aware of the importance of getting a positive result.
St Jago’s head coach Glen ‘Bobby Reds’ Laing says the game is a big test.
“This game’s gonna be the test in the group. I am hearing that they (Bridgeport) are a strong-running team,” Laing told The Gleaner yesterday.
He also pointed out that “our defence is tight and yet to concede this season, but we have some young players up front, so we have to be patient”.
Laing’s main players include captain Akeem Chambers, Jelani Thomas and Shaquille Wright.
Assistant coach of Bridgeport Jason Grant says his team’s approach is to win each game.
LEAD THE CHARGE
“It is a very important game as both teams are in the lead on points. We have to go out there and continue to work for each other,” Grant reasoned.
Bridgeport will look to players such as captain Kyle Ming, Shakeem Powell and Donte Green to lead the charge for full points.
In other games in the group, Calabar High will look for their second win in four days when they face Cumberland, and Hydel are highly fancied to beat lowly Campion College.
Meanwhile, Kingston College (KC), with maximum nine points from three games, will look to move further ahead when they face third-placed Ascot High in Group C at the National Stadium, starting at 3 p.m.
Ascot, on the other hand, will look to spoil KC’s record and stay in contention in the group.
The Ludlow Bernard-coached KC have been the most impressive team in the competition. They have scored 10 goals and are yet to concede. Rashawn Mackinson is the ‘Purples’ top player, with seven goals. He should get good support from Fabian Grant, Nathan Thomas and Javain Brown.
TODAY’S GAMES
Kingston College vs Ascot Denham Town vs St Mary’s College Norman Manley vs Papine Meadowbrook vs Haile Selassie Jonathan Grant vs St Catherine Ardenne vs Pembroke Hall Wolmer’s Boys vs José Marti Dunoon vs Edith Dalton James KTHS vs Camperdown Cumberland vs Calabar Campion College vs Hydel St Jago vs Bridgeport
(Home teams are named first and all games start at 3 p.m.)