Cornwall, Spot Valley in crucial showdown

Adrian Frater, News Editor

WESTERN BUREAU:

The remaining inter-zone qualifiers in the 2011-12 ISSA/Gatorade/Digicel daCosta Cup schoolboy football competition should be known following today's round of matches, which will feature last weekend's rained-out games and the crucial Zone A clash between Cornwall College and Spot Valley High.

"All the outstanding rescheduled games will be played tomorrow afternoon (today) to complete the competition's preliminary fixture," said ISSA's competition chairman, George Forbes. "As a consequence, the start of the Ben Francis Cup has been switched from Wednesday (tomorrow) to Thursday."

The Zone A clash between many-time champions Cornwall College and Spot Valley, who are both on 23 points, will decide which of them join St James High (24) in the inter-zone.

In Zone H, the Ben Francis KO slot is at stake in the game between qualifiers Clarendon College (29) and Lennon (28); and in Zone K, four teams have a shot at the two inter-zone places, while in Zone L Paul Bogle (14) are favoured to top the group.

Crucial clash

In their crucial clash against Cornwall College, Spot Valley must win to advance as, while a draw would result in a three-way tie between them, Cornwall College and St James, based on goal difference, Cornwall College would win the group and St James would finish in second place.

"We know what we have to do and we are determined to get the job done," said Preston Bernard, coach of Spot Valley, which qualified for the inter-zone round for the first time last year. "We just want to get some good officiating in this game and we will do the rest."

For Cornwall College, which got off to a horrifying start and only saw a change in fortune after switching their home venue from Jarrett Park to their school ground, are now on a five-game winning streak and confidence is quite high in their camp.

"We are playing quite well at this time and the players are aware of what they need to do," said their coach, Hopeton Gilchrist. "We just need to go out there, win the game and finish as zone winners."

In Zone K where Titchfield will battle Happy Grove, Fair Prospect oppose Port Antonio and Buff Bay lock horns with Annotto Bay, it will be a fight to the finish line as any two from the group of Titchfield (16), Buff Bay (16), Port Antonio (14) and Happy Grove (13) can make the inter-zone phase.

While Paul Bogle look a safe bet to beat Robert Lightbourne (zero) and top Zone L, a draw or a defeat would relegate them to second place as, while they would join current group leaders St Thomas Technical on 15 points, they would still fall short on goal difference.

Zone A

Cornwall College vs Spot Valley

Zone C

Brown's Brown vs Cedric Titus

Zone D

Iona vs Tacky

St Mary Tech vs Brimmervale

Zone H

Lennon vs Clarendon College

Edwin Allen vs Claude McKay

Zone I

Glenmuir vs Kemps Hill

Bustamante vs Garvey Maceo

Central vs Vere

Zone J

Old Harbour vs Charlemont

McGrath vs Bog Walk

Zone K

Fair Prospect vs Port Antonio

Buff Bay vs Annotto Bay

Titchfield vs Happy Grove

Zone L

Robert Lightbourne vs Paul Bogle

Seaforth vs Morant Bay