Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter

Members of the Bridgeport team celebrate after their 4-3 penalty shoot-out victory over defending champions Calabar in ISSA\Pepsi\JN Manning Cup action at the Harbour View Mini-Stadium yesterday. Bridgeport came from behind to draw the game 2-2 after regulation time. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer

FOLLOWING A two-year absence, Bridgeport, the only St. Catherine team to have won the Manning Cup, made their way back to the final when they came from two goals behind to stun defending champions Calabar 4-3 on penalties at the Harbour View Mini-Stadium yesterday. Excelsior, who won the title in 2003 and 2004, also booked their place in the final when they got by Walker Cup champions Eltham 1-0 to set up a repeat of the 2004 final. Dasean Meek fired in the all-important goal for Excelsior past Eltham custodian Kelso Cousins, who had made several tremendous saves, in the 88th minute.

The green-and-black clad team from Red Hills Road, Calabar, had one foot in the final when they went two goals up after a 46th minute, second half strike from Lennox Creary, but not even they could find an answer when comeback kings Bridgeport, who won the Cup in 2001, launched another of their famous come-from-behind bids.

Hard battle

"The team always leaves it late. They went two goals down but they fought very, very hard to come back in the second half and we got the win," said an elated Anthony Patrick, coach of Bridgeport, who had also seen his team come from three goals down against Camperdown and two down against Excelsior before coming back to tie both games at the start of the second round.

"We always play well in the second half and we were full of confidence coming into the game. Once again the public will see that we are the best team in the Manning Cup right now," Patrick said.

After dominating the early proceedings, it was no surprise when Kabari Palmer fired the titleholder's into the lead in the 36th minute. The writing certainly seemed to be on the wall for the St. Catherine team when Kenniel Hyde dribbled into the area to set up Lennox Creary who put his team another goal up with his 46th minute, close-range effort.

But, 10 minutes later, Theopholus Samuels would throw Bridgeport a life-line when he smashed the ball past Calabar custodian Curtis Chickroy from a tough angle just to the right of goal.

Sprightly team

Having finally found the back of the net, Bridgeport looked a sprightly team as they went in search of the equaliser. Andre Steele finally provided it, when he latched on to a rebound from a Adrian King shot and coolly placed the ball past Chickroy and a visibly tiring Calabar team in the 85th minute. After squandering numerous counter-attacking, second-half opportunities, the defending champions always looked in trouble heading into extra time.

"I'd like to congratulate Bridgeport. It was a very tough game, I think we played well for certain periods of the second half, we got our goals but in the end we just lacked concentration," was the assessment of a disappointed Calabar coach David Hunt.

Nicoy Christian, Kennardo Forbes, Ricardo Martin and Samuels all netted for Bridgeport while Robert Palmer, Kabari Palmer and Odane Sinclair scored for Calabar.