By Daraine Luton, Freelance WriterREIGNING Champions Excelsior and Calabar will meet in the November 20 Manning Cup final.
At the Waterhouse Mini Stadium yesterday, the David Hunt-coached Calabar registered a comprehensive 3-0 win over title gunners Camperdown to end the east Kingston school's dream of rescuing the Manning Cup for the first time since 1982.
Defending champions Excelsior were made to fight hard for a place in next Saturday's final by St. George's College, who held them for 110 minutes before Anthony Christie scored twice (silver goals) in extra time to give Excelsior victory.
In the first game of the double header Calabar, after missing a flurry of opportunities in the first half, staved off an early second half challenge from Camperdown to come away 3-0 winners.
Their hero was Marlon Smith, who scored two goals in two minutes (70th and 72nd minutes) and also won a penalty for his team which was converted by Robert Palmer in the 82nd minute.
"I am very confident going into the final. We started out with an objective, we have reached the final and Calabar will put up a very good show in the final as well," said Hunt after his team's win.
Barrington 'Cobra' Gaynor, Camperdown's coach, could harbour no such thought.
"We were expecting to win the Manning Cup and now that we are out we don't stand a chance anymore," said a disappointed Gaynor.
Meanwhile, St. George's College can blame poor first half finishing for their failure to qualify for the finals. In fact, when they took the field against the defending champions who beat them 3-0 to end their Walker Cup hopes, the 'Light Blues' from North Street threw everything, including the kitchen sink, at Excelsior.
Dussen Palmer hit the upright in the 11th minute after releasing a 22-yard grounder that dissected the defence. Palmer again hit the upright in the 40th minute but the rebound across the face of goal was cleared into safety by a defender.
LOST FIREPOWER
However, at the turn of the halves, St. George's lost the firepower they had as Excelsior came back into their own. Despite creating numerous chances though, the defending champions could not find the net. And when 90 minutes of football had elapsed, it was still 0-0 which meant extra-time for the teams.
It was a period in which Excelsior came up trumps as Christie broke the deadlock with a header past goalkeeper Howard Fisher, who misjudged the flight of the ball and lost it in the air.
Ten minutes later the nippy attacker calmly dismissed defenders Tion Taylor and Robert Lamb before hitting past Fisher to confirm Excelsior's victory.
"The better team won. Excelsior is a very tough team. I think we played well and I don't think many people had expected us to do as well as we did but I respect Excelsior, I respect the coach but I love my team we put up a whole lot of fight today, but we just could not win.. Good luck to them and good luck to Calabar," Bell said.
Despite the fact that they were forced to play the toughest match this season, Halliman said he was not worried at any point during the game.
"I have all the faith in the players so I knew what they are capable of doing. Even if it went into penalty shootout I would not have been scared."
