Eltham, Excelsior clash in feature

Former champions Eltham High will oppose Excelsior High in today's feature game of the quarter-finals of the Inter-Secondary Sports Association (ISSA)/Pepsi/Digicel Walker Cup KO competition at the Spanish Town Prison Oval football field, starting at 3 p.m.

In the first match of the double-header, Bridgeport High will entertain St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS), starting at 1 p.m.

Bridgeport, who are one of the favourites to win this year's Manning Cup competition, won Group B ahead of Tivoli Gardens and should get the better of STATHS, who qualified for the Walker Cup as one of the best second-place teams.

The Anthony Patrick-coached Bridgeport will look to inspira-tional striker Ramone Howell, along with the likes of Jahmiel Hardware, Kenrick Preston, Tyshawn Renford and Robert Johnson to achieve a win.

STATHS, who finished runners-up in Group D behind winners Norman Manley, will be depending heavily on the likes of Gevany Howell, Odane Elson and Carton Dixon to lead their team to victory.

The Eltham-Excelsior clash is expected to be a very intriguing encounter as both teams are evenly matched in all departments.

Oozing with confidence

The St Catherine-based Eltham, who ended Group F unbeaten with maximum 36 points, are oozing confidence ahead of today's game.

However, despite this fact, Gregory Allen, coach of Eltham, said he was expecting a tough encounter.

"Excelsior are a very dangerous team and so I think this is going to be a very competitive game because all teams must have been doing something special to reach this far," said Allen, whose team last won the Walker Cup competition in 2006.

"We will just have to go out there and work hard and to do what it takes to win the game," he said.

Allen added: "We were preparing for a Saturday fixture and we realised suddenly that we have a game tomorrow (today), and I think that this will have affected the players mentally."

Striker Jason Wallace, who has netted 12 goals in the Manning Cup competition season, along with Jerome Grant, Steven Moran, Ramiz Gordon and Damion Binns, will lead Eltham's charge.

The Lebert Halliman-coached Excelsior, who were winners of Group C, will be depending heavily on the likes of national Under-20 striker Neco Brett, along with Juvane Benjamin, Brian Richards and Jerome Williams to guide them to the semi-finals.