Wolmer's take pole position

Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter

Despite heading into the second round as the second best third-place team, the last available spot, Wolmer's Boys are in pole position to advance to the semi-final of the ISSA/Digicel/Manning Cup following a 1-0 win over Ascot at Spanish Town Prison Oval yesterday.

The result moved Wolmer's to six points after two games, three more than second-place Jose Marti, who left it late to deliver a stinging 1-0 victory over Hydel, which eliminated the latter from the competition.

In a closely contested affair, Chevon Montgomery got the all-important goal for the Heroes' Circle-based unit, who staggered over the finish line in a frantic finish, after having Kemo Wallace given marching orders for a second bookable offence in the 89th minute.

Perhaps the least favoured to advance, based on the fact that they struggled to make the second round, the school's head coach, Ludlow Bernard, was understandably encouraged.

"This is a team that has gone through a cyclical process where we started the pre-season well, but struggled to start the competition, perhaps we peaked. There were a lot of internal issues due to the lack of success, but we worked hard to motivate the players," Bernard told The Gleaner.

"It felt good to win the second game, it's mission accomplished in that respect. I thought we played well today until we scored the goal, then we surrendered the midfield, much to my annoyance. We are not through yet, though, and we have to focus on our final game."

That match will come against an already-eliminated Hydel on Saturday.

Ascot, on three points, are also still in with a shot of advancing, but must battle José Marti, who kept themselves in contention with a late Jeremy Nelson goal.

In a match with few scoring opportunities and seemingly heading for a draw, Nelson was the recipient of a well-weighted pass from a Jose Marti counter and pulled wide of goal before slotting the ball back across the custodian. It was a make-up goal of sorts for Nelson, as he missed a 34th-minute penalty, which could have given his team the lead earlier.

Heartbreaker

However, it was heartbreak for Hydel who, in a promising spell of pressure only minutes before, had seen a header from Marvin Evelyn saved and a shot from Javoney Allen come back off the post.

Jose Marti coach, Calvert Fitzgerald, was pleased with the win and has not given up hopes of advancing. But he believes that the fact that team not being a traditional one hurt them early on.

"Traditionally, we have not reached the second round so that hurt us a bit, the guys kind of eased up a bit, but now we recognise that we are a team that should be challenging and not just here to show up," Fitzgerald said.

"Since we lost the first game, I told the guys we have to get to six points, we knew we had to get the win today, a draw would have put us both out so we went for it, and I think we deserved it."

WEST INDIES A 1st Innings 358

(A. Russell 128; Kamrul Islam Rabbi 4-54)

BANGLADESH A 1st Innings 422

(Mominul Haque 150, Nasir Hossain 134; Shannon Gabriel 4-62)

WEST INDIES A 2nd Innings

(overnight 198 for six)

+D. Thomas c Mominul Haque

N Pascal c Shuvagata Hom b

TOTAL: (all out, 96 overs) 296

Fall of wickets: 1-27, 2-31, 3-31, 4-131, 5-132, 6-171, 7-233, 8-295, 9-295, 10-296.

Bowling: Jahurul Islam 18-4-48-3 (nb5) Kamrul Islam Rabbi 11-1-54-0 (nb2), Suhrawadi Shuvo 26-5-81-5, Nasir Hossain 25-3-74-2, Noor Hossain 6-0-34-0.

BANGLADESH 2nd Innings

Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-30, 3-85, 4-91, 5-106.

Bowling: Gabriel 10-1-25-1, Pascal 14-4-36-2, Brathwaite 9-3-16-0, Russell 10-3-26-2, Permaul 7-1-12-0, Bonner 3-0-16-0.

Result: Match drawn.

Man of the Match: Andre Russell.

Umpires: L Kelly, C Mack.