Champs JC look to rebound

Robert Bailey, Gleaner Writer

Defending champions Jamaica College (JC) will be aiming to rebound from their surprise opening-game defeat to Camperdown High, when they tackle Kingston Technical in an ISSA/Gatorade/Digicel Manning Cup Group D encounter today at the Clan Carthy field, starting at 3:30 p.m.

In the group's other games, Camperdown will entertain Cumberland at the Bellevue field, and St Jago will play away to Pembroke Hall. St Jago and Camperdown are tied atop the group with three points each. They are followed by Cumberland and Pembroke Hall, one point each, and JC (0).

Delroy Brown, coach of the JC, who went down 1-0 to Camperdown last Saturday, said today's encounter is a very vital one for his team, in their efforts to progress to the second round of the competition.

Crucial game

"It is a crucial game because we lost our first match and so it is very important that we go out and win this game," said Brown, whose team captured the triple crown last season. "The boys have enough experience to do it and so we just have to go out and score some goals and win the match."

Brown admits that he knows nothing about his team's opponents but he is expecting a tough game from them.

"They haven't been performing well over the last few years, but they will be playing against the defending champions, and so I expect them to come out with a lot of energy," Brown said. "However, we are up for the task because my players know that this is a must-win for us."

The Old Hope Road-based JC will be relying heavily on the likes of their experienced trio of Conroy Johnson, Junior Flemming and Nicholas Scott to lead their charge for victory.

Like JC, Kingston Technical also lost their opening fixture, going down 2-0 to St Jago. However, Clive Anderson, coach of Kingston Technical, said they were upbeat ahead of today's game.

"I am very optimistic about our chances of pulling off an upset against JC tomorrow," said Anderson. "I know that we can do it, but it is just for players to go out and perform at their best," he said.

Attacking players Chris Andre Grant, Romario Davy, Shamar Duce and Rushane Jackson will lead Kingston Technical's charge for victory.