STETHS, Rusea's close in on semis

Adrian Frater, News Editor

Western Bureau:

Reigning champions St Elizabeth Technical High School and eight-time champions Rusea's moved within touching distance of the semi-finals of the 2010 ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel daCosta Cup yesterday afternoon when they both emerged victorious from their respective second-round quarter-final games.

STETHS, behind goals from Denmark Gillings and Romero Thompson, clipped Marcus Garvey 2-1 in their game in Santa Cruz, St Elizabeth, to move to the top of the Group-One standings with four points. In the second Group-One game, St James High and Glenmuir played out a 1-1 draw at Jarrett Park, leaving both teams on two points.

"We would have loved to score a few more goals, but our main objective was to get all three points and we did," said Andrew Edwards, coach of the STETHS team. "We are now looking forward to another good performance come Saturday."

Comfortable win

In Group Two, Rusea's took over sole leadership of the group after scoring a comfortable 3-0 win in the first game of the Jarrett Park double-header. Jermaine Woozencraft, Anthony Walker and Miguel Jones were the players on target for Rusea's.

By virtue of their win, Rusea's is now on four points, one more than Garvey Maceo, who took three points off Old Harbour in their first-round game. In the second of the Group-Two games, Old Harbour and Lennon played out a 1-1 draw at Jamalco. That result has left Lennon on two points and Old Harbour on one.

In the game between Rusea's and Garvey Maceo, the fans were treated to a real spectacle as the Rusea's team turned in a clinical performance which left their opponents overpowered, if not outclassed.

"The Rusea's team played well, but I thought it was simple errors on our part that cost us the game," said Garvey Maceo's coach Jeffrey Hewitt. "We really did not do as well as we should have today, especially defensively."

After looking much the better team in the early exchanges, Rusea's took the lead in the 33rd minute. Brian Brown laid on a perfect cross for Woozencraft and he fired powerfully into the roof of the net, making the half-time score 1-0.

Rusea's doubled their lead in the 73rd minute when Wozencraft broke into the goal area and dropped a sweet cross into the path of Walker, who made no mistake, driving a low shot passed the goalkeeper, making the score 2-0.

With time running out in the game, Rusea's sealed the issue in the 86th minute. The wily Jones dribbled powerfully into the goal area and knocked away the hands of the goalkeeper with his fierce drive, which crashed into the roof of the net, making the final score 3-0.

In the Glenmuir against St James High game, Glenmuir took the 29th minute when Ramon Whittaker drilled home from deep inside of St James High's goal area, giving his team a 1-0 lead.

With victory seemingly on the cards for Glenmuir in stoppage-time play, St James High benefited from a bout of luck when a Glenmuir defender put the ball past his own goalkeeper, making the final score 1-1.

Yesterday's results

STETHS 2-1 Marcus GarveyRusea's 3-0 Garvey MaceoGlenmuir 1-1 St JamesLennon 1-1 Old Harbour