Hopeful Lacovia earn draw against BB Coke

LACOVIA HIGH School rallied to draw 1-1 with BB Coke High Schol in their ISSA daCosta Cup Zone E clash at the Lacovia High playing field in St Elizabeth yesterday.

In overcast conditions, BB Coke’s Jimbo Campbell went to work and opened the scoring in the 32nd minute before Lacovia’s Enrique Samms levelled in the 78th to make things interesting.

With the draw, BB Coke remains atop Zone E on 14 points, with four wins and two draws. Lacovia remains fourth on nine points, with two wins, three draws, and one loss.

Assistant coach for Lacovia, Willard Douglas, believes the draw keeps his team in with a chance of qualifying for the next round.

“The boys kept on pushing and it was a good fight to get the draw. The draw sets us up for the top-four play-off. Once you are in it, you have a chance to win,” Douglas said.

Meanwhile, Fitzroy Amberesely, coach of BB Coke, said the team lacked composure, and that was one of a number of improvements his staff was looking at.

“I don’t think it was a hard-fought game for us. The players were a bit lacklustre. They said ‘we are there already so we are going to play and enjoy ourselves’,” said Ambersely.

Despite the draw, Ambersely said he is not disappointed but emphasised the importance of endurance and teamwork.

“We will continue to work on all aspects and get their fitness level back up for the next round. That is one of the most important things for any footballer in a game.”

With an assist from Otis Powell, Campbell beautifully controlled the ball on his thigh before fiercely striking the ball from just outside of the area to open the scoring.

Going a goal down unsettled Lacovia but Samms’ second-half finish, the benefit of a deflection, brought them back into the game and provided the impetus for a competitive final stanza.

In other games, former champions Clarendon College made light work of Lennon High with a 7-0 win, while St Mary High cruised by St Mary Technical 5-0.

Munro College, who needed a win, were comfortable against Newell High – that game ending 3-0.

Continuing their winning streak, Cornwall College hammered St James High 4-0, defending champions Garvey Maceo had a 3-0 win over Winston Jones, and Glenmuir got by Kemps Hill with the same scoreline.

YESTERDAY’S GAMES

Steths 0-0 Magotty

St James 0-4 Cornwall College

Glenmuir 3-0 Kemps Hill

Clarendon College 7-0 Lennon

St Mary Tech 0-5 St Mary High

Lacovia 1-1 BB Coke

Munro 3-0 Newell

Edwin Allen 1-3 Central

Vere Tech 0-2 Denbigh

Winston Jones 0-3 Garvey Maceo

Tichfield 0-0 Port Antonio

Morant Bay 3-1 Fair Prospect

Paul Bogle 0-0 Yallas

Marcus Garvey 0-0 Ferncourt

York Castle 1-1 Brown’s Town

Foga Road 2-0 Bustamante

Horace Clarke 0-0 Iona