STETHS retain Ben Francis Cup title

Adrian Frater, News Editor

WESTERN BUREAU:St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) retained their Ben Francis KO title in dramatic fashion yesterday afternoon, when they scored a hard-fought come-from-behind 2-1 win against Manchester High School at Jarrett Park in Montego Bay.

The Manchester High team, which turned in a gutsy first-half performance, took the lead through a goal scored by Shenaldo Parkes and went into the break with a 1-0 lead. However, STETHS stormed back in the second half and after equalising through Jamal Sinclair, they sealed victory in the dying moments when a Manchester High defender inadvertently deflected the ball past his own goalkeeper.

"We are extremely pleased ... . This is the first jewel in the triple crown and we are now looking forward to adding the daCosta Cup and the Olivier Shield," said STETHS coach Andrew Edwards.

"It was a real gutsy performance and it showed that we are on target to meet our objectives," he added.

After a tentative start in which both teams gave as much as they got, STETHS got the first two meaningful breaks in the the 15th and 17th minutes. First, Sinclair broke free before the goal, but the goalkeeper blocked his effort; then Romario Thompson went high for a cross, but directed his header over the bar.

Midway in the half, Manchester came to life and they too got back-to-back chances in the 19th and 24th minutes, respectively, when Ashani Lawrence lost out to an alert defender in the goal area and secondly, Stephan Williams pounced on a low cross and nodded wide.

With Manchester looking increasingly ominous and creating good openings, they took the lead in the 27th minute, when a fabulous free kick by Parkes struck the upright and deflected into the goal, making the score 1-0.

With time running out in the half, Manchester all but doubled their lead. Williams got away on the right flank and after cutting in, fired a grounder just wide of the far post. The half ended with Manchester looking quite dangerous.

Brilliant save

The second half saw STETHS coming all out in attack and pressing hard. Sinclair all but pulled them level in the 50th minute when he got away before the goal, but his cracking shot was brilliantly saved by Akeem Nelson in goal for Manchester.

In the 52nd minute, STETHS found the equaliser when Sinclair pounced on an aerial cross before the goal and his effort struck the goal line and flew into the roof of the goal, making the score 1-1.

With the score even it was all-out attack by both teams as they threw everything at each other. STETHS should have scored in the 62nd minute when Sinclair found himself with space before the goal, but his shot was well handled by the goalkeeper.

Manchester rebounded in the 64th minute when the STETHS' custodian mishandled a cross, but Vincent Mitchell fired wide of the empty goal, much to the disappointment of his teammates.

After seeing Manchester squandering another chance in the 85th minute, when Samuda Johnson broke through the middle and fired wide, STETHS found the clincher when in trying to defend against a corner, a Manchester defender deflected the ball into the roof of the net, making the final score 2-1.