Marshall, Brown strikes lift STATHS to perfect first round
Published:Sunday | October 22, 2023 | 12:12 AMOrane Buchanan - Staff Reporter
THE PHILLIP Williams-coached St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) completed a perfect first round with the season double over Group D rivals Excelsior, in the ongoing ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup football competition, on the back of a 2-0 victory on Saturday at the Courtney Walsh Oval.
STATHS now have a perfect 30 points from their 10 games in the round, getting their goals through Ajetai Marshall in the sixth minute and a 63rd-minute strike from talisman Leon Brown, who was netting his 13th of the season.
STATHS, who looked the brighter and better of the two across the 90 minutes of action, hit the ground running as early as the sixth minute, with Marshall making no error in slotting home his chance, sending it wide of Excelsior’s goalkeeper, Jadavin Waul.
Alexavier Gooden could have made it 2-0 in the 24th minute but saw his right-footed free kick crashing onto the crossbar.
STATHS would not take their foot off the gas pedal, giving themselves a two-goal cushion on the stroke of half-time, with Brown converting from point blank range. Brown was the beneficiary of Richard Livingston’s brilliant work, whipping in a great cross for the talisman’s 13th goal.
STATHS would pick up on where they left off with Waul being called into action, carefully handling a powerful shot from the laces of Marshall.
The game’s last meaningful goalscoring opportunity would again fall to STATHS when Brown tried to give teammate Jhamal Bygrave a through ball he was slightly late in receiving.
Williams, in his post-game assessment, said his players had grown accustomed to his system, and thus the results that were being shown.
“We’ve been playing consistently since summer and I can’t remember us having a bad game, which is good. Our system of play is one that our boys have been playing since the Under-16 level, so they know it inside and out,” said Williams.
Keon Broderick, head coach of Excelsior, said his team should have shown more patience, though he couldn’t fault their overall effort.
“I think, defensively, we were good, and our intentions were to press them higher and force them into making mistakes. I also believe we could have controlled the game better than we did, if we had more patience.”
Yesterday’s Results
St George’s College 3-0 Campion
Camperdown 1-2 Penwood
Excelsior 0-2 STATHS
Kingston College 2-1 Charlie Smith
Hydel 2-0 Calabar
Tivoli 11-0 Cumberland
Jamaica College 9-0 Meadowbrook
Spanish Town 0-4 Kingston Technical