Hydel win denies Denham Town

Denham Town High were denied their first ever passage to the second round of the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/Gatorade/Digicel Manning Cup following a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Hydel in their Group B match at the Edward Seaga Sports Complex yesterday.

The impressive victory was a fitting way for Hydel - in only their second year in the competition - to close out the opening round and also an apt tribute to their coach, Lebert Halliman, who yesterday celebrated his birthday.

Hydel's star performer of the evening was Kadeem Buchanan, who netted a hat-trick. His goals came in the 45th, 68th and 85th minutes, after Patrick Okonkwo had opened the scoring in the 14th.

Denham Town's ambitions of progressing were further impeded by Waterford's 6-0 trouncing of Campion College. In the group's other game, Tivoli Gardens got by Papine 4-1.

Hydel, having topped the group with 28 points, progress to the second round and secured a place in the Walker Cup. They are joined in the second round by last year's beaten finalists Waterford, who finished runners-up with 19 points. The group standings are completed by Tivoli (15), Denham Town (14), Campion (three) and Papine (three).

Hydel and Waterford are joined in the second round of the premier urban-area schoolboy football competition by defending champions Jamaica College, Camperdown, Calabar, Excelsior, Charlie Smith, Ascot, Wolmer's Boys, St George's College, Spanish Town, Innswood, Bridgeport, José Marti, Kingston College and Penwood.

The teams that will be vying for the Walker Cup knockout title are the seven group winners: Hydel, Calabar, Charlie Smith, Jamaica College, St George's, Kingston College, Bridgeport and the best second-place team, Camperdown.

Hydel's assistant coach Robert Chen was very proud of the team's achievement following their comfortable win.

"I feel good with the team scoring four goals having already qualified for the second round and it is an awesome feeling to qualify for the Walker Cup," Chen expressed.

Hydel's victory came at a cost, however, as one of their top defenders and vice-captain Nestor Cousins, who was stand-in captain in yesterday's game, was ejected for violent conduct in the 82nd minute and will miss their Walker Cup match against St George's.

Denham Town also had a player sent off, as Kevon Taylor was dismissed in the 89th minute for serious foul play. Their head coach Ivan Clarke hopes for an improved showing next season.

"Hopefully, we will come stronger next year, as we are only going to lose two players out of this bunch and we have other players inside the school that we are looking at, so this year was a learning curve; next year we will be coming stronger," Clarke shared.

Yesterday's results

Group A

Greater Portmore 0 Calabar 9

Excelsior 1 St Catherine 1

Group B

Tivoli 4 Papine 1

Denham Town 4 Hydel 0

Waterford 6 Campion 0

Group C

Charlie Smith 2 Wolmer's 1

Ascot 1 Dunoon 0

Vauxhall 1 Haile Selassie 1

Group D

Camperdown 4 Kingston Technical 2

Jamaica College 4 Pembroke Hall 0

Group E

Meadowbrook 2 Edith Dalton James 1

Tarrant 0 Spanish Town 1

Innswood 0 St George's 3

Group F

Ardenne 1 Penwood 5

Norman Manley 2 Donald Quarrie 0