Townsend happy with ‘ugly’ win

Irwin High School assistant coach Jerron Townsend described his team’s 2-0 victory over Cambridge High in the ISSA daCosta Cup at Jarrett Park yesterday as an “ugly win”.

The victory marked Irwin’s second consecutive triumph.

The deadlock was broken after 22 minutes when Cavon Morris outjumped the defence to head home. However, it was not until the 85th minute that Nathaniel Foster doubled the lead.

“We didn’t play as well as we are supposed to play, but an ugly win is better than a pretty loss. We started well and were getting chances, but I guess we weren’t capitalising on putting them away,” said Townsend.

Townsend noted that despite not performing at what he considers their best, the team was pleased to secure all three points.

“Cambridge came out at us in the second half because, I think, they thought they had a chance in the game. In the end, we got a goal from our talisman and it gave us three points,” he added.

The victory moved Irwin to the top of Zone A on six points, while Cambridge slipped to fifth place with just one point.

Meanwhile, Cambridge assistant coach Dane Isaacs said that although the team attempted to employ a mid-block and counter-press strategy, they were unable to execute it consistently.

“It’s a very disappointing loss, especially how we conceded the goals. The plan was to always sit back in a mid-block and try to counter press or hit them on the counter. We did that in parts, but we didn’t get a lot of it,” said Isaacs.

“It wasn’t consistent enough; however, it was a good effort from our boys, and I have to give kudos to them on that,” added Isaacs.

In another game, 11-time champions Rusea’s High sent a warning to the rest of the competition with a 6-0 thumping of Petersfield High.

The Hanover-based school has now scored 14 goals in two matches.

Over in Westmoreland, former Ben Francis Cup champions Frome Technical rallied from behind to secure an impressive 4-1 victory at home in their opening match.

In St Elizabeth, Black River High also maintained a perfect record with a 5-1 win over deCarteret College.

The ISSA daCosta Cup resumes on Friday across the island.

Yesterday’s Results

Frome 4-1 Knockalva

Rusea’s 6-0 Petersfield

Cambridge 0-2 Irwin

Edwin Allen 1-1 Holmwood Technical

Alphansus Davis 4-0 Troy High

Paul Bogle 1-1 Morant Bay

Happy Grove 3-0 Robert Lightbourne High

Knox College 3-0 Claude McKay

York Castle 2-2 Cedric Titus

Black River 5-1 deCarteret

St Mary 4-1 Wycliffe Martin High

Munro 9-0 Belair

Seaforth 1-2 Yallahs