St George's seal double with Walker Cup triumph

Robert Bailey, Gleaner Writer

Manning champions St George's College (StGC) cemented their status as the top Corporate Area schoolboy football team after recording a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Kingston College (KC) in the final of the Inter-Secondary Schools Association (ISSA)/Gatorade/Digicel Walker Cup knockout competition.

Victory at the Constant Spring Sports Complex yesterday gave the Georgians their eighth hold on the trophy. They had won their first title in 1961.

The 'Light Blues', who beat Charlie Smith 3-1 on Saturday to win the Manning Cup, got their goals in the knockout showdown through Mark Brown (45th) and substitute Davion Kelly (60th). Richard Wilson scored for KC in the 48th minute.

"I am very happy," said an elated Neville 'Bertis' Bell, coach of St George's. "It was another tough game for us and I congratulate Kingston College for playing very hard, but I thank God that we got the victory."

Continuing, Bell said: "I thought that we stuck to the task today because it was difficult to get high again for another tough game, having won the Manning Cup on Saturday, and so I really feel very good for these kids."

Playing in front of a capacity crowd, both teams started the match positively, but missed a number of clear-cut chances.

KC's Jorginho James' shot from point-blank range was spectacularly saved by StGC's custodian Nico Campbell in the fifth minute.

Deadlock broken

A few minutes later, St George's striker Kendon Anderson's powerful right-footed effort hit the crossbar.

However, the deadlock was finally broken on the stroke of half-time when the lanky Brown stunned the KC supporters as he struck home a powerful shot past goalkeeper Javaughn Buchanan, this after the Purples had failed to clear an inswinging corner kick from Ryan Miller.

KC' went in search of the equaliser at the start of the second period and were quickly rewarded three minutes after the break when Wilson headed home a corner kick past Campbell, to make the score 1-1.

However, the speedy and skilful Kelly sealed the victory for his team when he fired home a rasping 20-yard shot past Buchanan, who was well beaten at his near post.

KC only had themselves to blame as they squandered a number of open chances in the final minutes of the game.

"We got a lot of chances and we didn't put them away and that was what hurt us today," said Trevor 'Jumpy' Harris, coach of KC.

"I must congratulate St George's because they are a great team and they also have the best organisation in schoolboy football at this point in Jamaica," Harris added.

St George's will be seeking to capture the Triple Crown when they play in the Olivier Shield - symbol of all-island supremacy in schoolboy football - on December 7 and 10 against either St Elizabeth Technical or Rusea's High. The two schools will meet in rural schoolboys' daCosta Cup final on Saturday.