Rusea's whip St Mary Tech 5-0 in inter-zone clash

Adrian Frater, News Editor

Western Bureau: Champions Rusea's High and their ace striker, Brian 'Rambo' Brown, were in prime form yesterday afternoon as the Hanover team dismissed the challenge of St Mary Technical 5-0 in their Group Two inter-zone round of the 2011 ISSA/Gatorade/Digicel daCosta Cup fixture at Jarrett Park in Montego Bay.

Brown was in awesome form. He scored four of the five goals to lift his season tally to an amazing 29. The team's other goal came from skipper Nicodie Haughton, who scored from the penalty spot. Brown was last season's golden boot winner.

"It was a fine performance by the boys and it goes to show what they can achieve when they play to instructions," said Rusea's coach Anthony 'Follies' Williams, whose team are on maximum six points. "We just need a point from our next game to win the group."

Ben Francis Cup champions St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS), who were surprisingly held to a 1-1 draw by Knox College in their first-round fixture, notched the first win of their Group Four campaign, blanking Clarendon College 2-0 behind goals from the prolific scorer Kevon Farquharson and Jamel Sinclair.

"Tactically, we were very good today," said STETHS's Andrew Edwards, whose team is on four points from two games. "We are now looking to win our final group game and top the zone."

In the first game of the Jarrett Park double-header, Cedric Titus eliminated 2008 champions St James after scoring a come-from-behind 2-0 win, which lifted them to joint leadership of Group One with Frome Technical, who spanked St Mary High 6-1. Devroy Campbell (penalty) and Ojay Smith got the goals for Cedric Titus.

successful team

In Group Three, beaten Ben Francis Cup finalists Manchester High kept themselves atop group standings when they battled to a 0-0 draw with Grange Hill High to move to four points. In the other game in the group, Munro and Lennon ended 0-0.

The competition's most successful team, Cornwall College, threw themselves a lifeline in Group Two, upstaging Marcus Garvey 2-0 to join them in second place behind Rusea's, on three points each. Romario Lawrence and Alex Smith got the goals for Cornwall College.

Former champions Glenmuir High also moved within a point of sealing a place in the quarter-final round when they blanked Port Antonio High 4-0 to be sole leaders of Group Five. In the group's other game, Tacius Golding defeated St. Thomas Technical High School 2-0 to be joint second with Port Antonio.

Yesterday's results

Group One

Cedric Titus 2 St James 1

Frome 1 St Mary High 0

Group Two

Cornwall College 2 Marcus Garvey 0

Rusea's 5 St Mary Tech 0

Group Three

Grange Hill 0 Manchester High 0

Munro College 0 Lennon High 0

Group Four

STETHS 2 Clarendon College 0

Petersfield 1 Knox College 0

Group Five

Tacius Golding 2 St Thomas Technical 0

Glenmuir vs Port Antonio 4-0

Group Six

Old Harbour 0 Paul Bogle 0

Denbigh High 1 Buff Bay 1