Jonathan Grant stay in touch after thrilling 2-2 draw
Published:Sunday | October 15, 2023 | 12:08 AMOrane Buchanan - Staff Reporter
ELTHAM HIGH School failed to make ground on Jonathan Grant in the race for ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup second-round spots yesterday after a nail-biting 2-2 draw away yesterday.
A game of two halves was an adequate way to describe the afternoon which left Eltham two points adrift of second-place Jonathan Grant but with a game in hand to catch up in Zone C, where Haile Selassie lead with 19 points.
Jonathan Grant got goals from Demario Marrison in the 22nd minute and Antwayne Ellis in the 49th minute but were pegged by Jemar Powis (69th) and Santana Headley (88th).
Despite starting on the proverbial backfoot, Eltham were given a golden opportunity to take the lead as early as the 12th minute but talisman Steven Bull could only manage to watch his effort sail wide.
The chance was a wake-up call for Jonathan Grant, who took the lead in the 22nd minute through Marrison’s stunning right-footed strike that proved too difficult to handle from goal- keeper Kejon Clarke.
Eltham tried to get back into the game through Steven Bull in the 43rd minute but saw Jonathan Grant’s custodian Sheldon York watch his strike go harmlessly wide.
Jonathan Grant were again quicker from the blocks, going up 2-0 in the 49th minute courtesy of Ellis, who slid in at the back post to tap in from a corner kick.
Now facing a 0-2 deficit, a wounded Eltham began to look more dangerous. Powis was the beneficiary of that hard work, putting away a penalty. With two minutes left in the evening’s encounter, the unthinkable happened. Another penalty.
This time the job was handled by Headley, who despite jeers from the Jonathan Grant faithful, powered home his effort to level the game.
An emotional Glenville Holmes, head coach on the day for Eltham, shared that at the halftime interval his team talk was to advise his players of the importance of staying calm in fixtures such as these.
“At the halftime interval, we (coaches) told the players the importance of staying calm and composed in fixtures such as these. Over the years, Jonathan Grant and Eltham have always been a derby and the last we played against them they defeated us. We told the players that this fixture is important and that we needed a positive result from it and they did that,” said Holmes.
Kemeel Wolfe, head coach of Jonathan Grant, said complacency cost his boys two points. However, getting a point from the fixture is something he can live with.
“I think we lost it today where we got complacent and let Eltham back into the game and not killing off the game with the opportunities that we got. Any Spanish Town derby is going to be exciting due to the bragging rights. A point is still good enough but we wanted the three points,” Wolfe explained.
Other Results
Hydel 6 – 0 Penwood
Kingston College 5 - 0 Camperdown
Calabar 1-2 Charlie Smith
Jonathan Grant 2-2 Eltham
St Jago 3-0 Ascot
Wolmer’s 4-0 Papine
Tivoli 0-4 Jamaica College
St Catherine 2-0 Norman Manley
Kingston Tech 7-1 Cumberland