KC blank Calabar 2-0 in Hunt Football Classic

Robert Bailey, Gleaner Writer

Many-time Manning Cup champions Kingston College (KC) defeated archrivals Calabar 2-0 in last Saturday's feature match of the second annual staging of the David 'Wagga' Hunt Football Classic at the University of the West Indies Bowl.

In the curtain-raiser of the triple-header, Real Mona defeated Meadhaven United's Super League team 3-1 while Pelicans' Masters League side outscored Meadhaven Masters 8-7 on penalty kicks, this after both teams had played to a 0-0 draw.

Arsenio Walker scored both goals for the trevor 'Jumpy' Harris-coached KC, in the first half of the match. Harris, a former national representative, took over the coaching duties from Wayne Fairclough at the end of last season. Harris said he was happy with his team's performance but believed that they still had a lot of work to do before the Manning Cup competition begins in September.

Good performance

"It was a good performance for this time of the season because Calabar came out running very hard and we responded by absorbing their early pressure, then we slowly took over the game and scored two goals," said Harris.

"We have to improve before the Manning Cup competition starts, to ensure that all areas of our game are clicking before the season starts in September," he said.

Harris added: "We have not won the Manning Cup in 25 years and so we have plenty of catching up to reach the level of the other elite teams, but we want to start doing this by winning the Manning Cup this year."

Alrick Clarke, coach of Calabar, said poor defending by his team cost them the match.

Two mistakes

"We made two mistakes in our defence and it cost us the game because one of our defenders passed the ball to a KC forward who then slotted it home into the back of our net," Clarke said.

"I think it was a good early-season game and I believe that the spectators enjoyed it because both teams played well and they will both be two of the major contenders for the Manning Cup title this year," he said.

Clarke added:"I think that we still have some technical and tactical work to do because we have some young and inexperienced players. I believe, however, that with a few more practice games they will definitely get better."