Robert Bailey, Freelance Writer

DEFENDING CHAMPIONS Bridgeport High, Kingston College (KC) and Jamaica College (JC) booked their places in the semi-finals of the ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel Manning Cup competition yesterday.

They join Waterford who secured their place after topping Group B with nine points earlier in the week.

Bridgeport advanced to the semi-finals as the best second-place team in the competition.

In a doubleheader at the Spanish Town Prison Oval yesterday, JC whipped Bridgeport 4-0 in Group A action. JC won the group with seven points ahead of Bridgeport, six, and St. Andrew Technical, three.

In Group C, KC secured their place after a come-from-behind 1-1 draw with Norman Manley.

KC won the group with seven points ahead of Norman Manley (four) and Calabar (three).

In the day's other games, Calabar beat Charlie Smith 3-1 and Excelsior and Eltham played to a 1-1 draw.

Suspenseful game

In the opening game at Prison Oval, Jamali Spence scored for Norman Manley in the 11th minute, while substitute Chris-topher Harrison equalised for KC in the 85th minute.

Wayne Fairclough, the coach of KC, was delighted with his team's victory.

"This was a game that was filled with intrigue and suspense," said Fairclough. "We knew that we had to win and we had to stave off the might of Norman Manley and we did that and I am very happy."

Meanwhile, Anthony Grant gave JC the lead in the second minute when he fired home from point-blank range past goalkeeper Geovannie Smith.

De-Andre Brown doubled the score in the 20th minute when he headed home a corner from Ramone Palmer past Smith.

Robert Palmer (55th) and Ramone Palmer (85th) were the other scorers for JC.

Calabar 3 Charlie Smith 1

Jamaica College 4 Bridgeport 0

Kingston College 1 Norman Manley 1

Eltham 1 Excelsior 1