Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter

Kingston College (KC) and Charlie Smith turned the tables on Calabar and Norman Manley to take an unexpected early lead in Group Three of the ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel Manning Cup at the National Stadium East field yesterday.

However, while the first encounter between the boys from 'Fortis' and 'Rabalac' ended in spectacular fashion with a long-range blast from Noel Mais to seal a 2-1 victory for KC, the 2-1 win for Charlie Smith was a much more turbulent encounter that ended with quite a few aggrieved Norman Manley spectators verbally challenging referee Winston Delahaye after the match.

Manley had only themselves to blame when they went behind after their custodian Romeo Reid dropped the ball into the back of the net in the 17th minute, from a long Omar Teape free kick.

Many voices were raised in anger when the referee pointed to the spot for a seemingly innocuous challenge in the 58th minute. Gillian Pusey put away the penalty to put Charlie Smith two goals ahead.

tough challenge

Despite seeing striker Kemar Douglas sent off in the 54th minute with a second yellow card for a tough challenge on Kemar Brown, Manley pulled a goal back in the 77th minute through Kimarlee Brissett.

Substitute Yanique Morgan looked favourite to put the 10-man team back on level terms in the 88th minute, but after doing well to initially eluded the 'keeper and last defenders' challenge just inside the 18-yard area, slipped as he stubbed the ball just wide of goal with the target gaping at his mercy.

"I was very disappointed with the refereeing today, he's done about five or six of our games and every game is the same thing. I hope he doesn't do any more of our games, he is poor," said a visibly frustrated Alrick Clarke, coach of Norman Manley.

"He does not allow the players to play flowing football, everytime someone is touched it's a whistle, today was one-sided," he added.

"We played a tactical game today and played within our range," said Charlie Smith coach Jerome Waite. "They came at us in the latter part of the game but the team held its concentration and for a young team we did well."

In the battle of the traditional rivals which saw plenty of support around, scoring opportunities were abundant. The diminutive Aljay Cole blasted Calabar into the lead in the 47th minute, but soon after the Purple and Whites were level when a defensive breakdown in the Calabar back line saw substitute Marlon Martin hold his nerve to comfortable slot home two minutes later.

With numerous opportunities squandered and the match veering towards a 1-1 stalemate Mais picked the ball off Calabar midfielder Keniel Hyde in time added on and sent a fierce right-footed effort past Calabar custodian Oniel Wilson and crashing into the roof of the net from 30 yards out.