Adrian Frater, News Editor

Eon Brown (right) of Irwin High holds off a challenge from St. James High's Garfield Birthright in their rescheduled Zone A game yesterday. Irwin won 1-0. - photo by Adrian Frater

WESTERN BUREAU:

DINTHILL HIGH School were the only team to claim victory in regulation time during yesterday's first round of matches in the Ben Francis Cup Knockout competition when they blanked Brimmervale 2-0 at Dinthill.

In the other two games, it took penalties to give Barry Watson-coached Manchester High and Jeffrey Hewitt-conditioned Garvey Maceo wins over Munro College and Spaldings respectively as both games were locked at 1-1 at the end of regulation and extra-time play.

The Dinthill team, which topped Zone J of the preliminary round of the daCosta Cup, turned in a good performance to upstage Brimmervale as goals from Oswaldo Hunter and Kevin Skyers were enough the send the Zone K champions crashing out of the competition.

In their game against red-hot Munro College, who completed their fixture in Zone E of the daCosta Cup unbeaten, the Manchester team trailed 1-0 after giving up a penalty. However, it rallied back strongly to draw level, forcing the game into extra time and penalties.

"We did a lot a penalty shoot-out preparation, so once the game went into the penalty shoot-out we were quite confident we would win," said coach Watson.

"We are now looking forward to taking on Rusea's in the quarter-finals."

In their game against Spaldings at Manchester High, in-form Garvey Maceo, who trotted through Zone I of the daCosta Cup unbeaten, took an early lead through prolific striker Ashton Bennett. However, Spaldings surprised them by striking back.

'We should have won'

"We should have won the game in regulation time as we squandered several chances," said coach Hewitt. "Nonetheless, we must give credit to the Spalding team because they gave a very good account of themselves," he said.

Meanwhile, Cornwall College, whose game against Cedric Titus was put on hold as a result of an ISSA probe into allegations that they had used an ineligible player, were found guilty of the offence but were only stripped of the points from the one game in which the illegal player participated.

However, Cornwall College still emerged winners of Zone A and will play that rescheduled game against Cedric Titus in Falmouth today.

In a crucial rescheduled daCosta Cup game yesterday, Rusea's took Zone B honours ahead of Frome Technical when they defeated Merlene Ottey to secure their place in the Ben Francis KO