KC set sights on semi-finals

Robert Bailey, Freelance Writer

KINGSTON COLLEGE (KC), led by a first-half brace from Rohan Roye, registered their second consecutive victory in Group Three of the second round of the Manning Cup with a 2-0 win over Charlie Smith in a doubleheader at the National Stadium East field yesterday.

KC now need only a draw in their final game against Norman Manley to advance to the semi-finals.

Meanwhile, Norman Manley kept their hopes alive when they beat Walker Cup champions Calabar 2-1 in the day's other game.

Romario Campbell (ninth) and substitute Richard Williamson (78th) were the goal scorers for Norman Manley. Cleyon Brown pulled one back for Calabar in the 44th minute.

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

We played well

"It wasn't a classic game but I think getting the three points is what matters the most," said Fairclough. "I think that our link and defensive areas did not come out as one but I think that we played well enough to win this game," he said.

Jerome Waite, coach of Charlie Smith, said: "I think KC deserved to win this game based on their approach, because they came here with a purpose.

"We, on the other hand, didn't look like we wanted to play this game," he said.

KC dominated the match from the opening whistle and were rewarded in the 39th minute when Roye dribbled his way past three Charlie Smith defenders and then calmly slotted home past goalkeeper Dervon Brown.

Two minutes later, Roye doubled the North Street team's lead when he fired home a powerful, point-blank shot past Brown, after he had received a well-placed, left-sided cross from Christopher Allen.

Two minutes into the second period, Charlie Smith's Christopher Burton came close to pulling one back for his team but, with goalkeeper Sachelle Merchant at his mercy, he shot wide of the target.

Scoring chances proved hard to come by as the teams cancelled each other out for the remainder of the match.