St James High midfielder Ricardo Morris (right) attempts to control the ball against St George's defender Shawn Sybblis during their ISSA/Digicel Olivier Shield first-leg play-off at Constant Spring yesterday. St James won 2-1. - Peta-Gaye Clachar/Staff Photographer

ST JAMES High moved a step closer to claiming high school football's coveted triple crown when they defeated urban area kingpins St George's College 2-1, in the first leg of the all-island Olivier Shield play-off at Constant Spring yesterday.

St James, who were upgraded from a secondary school to a high school in 1999 and are seeking to become the first non-traditional high school to claim the rural area daCosta Cup, Ben Francis Cup Knockout and Olivier Shield titles, won on goals from the daCosta Cup's top scorer, 15-year-old Allan Ottey, and his strike partner, Nicholie Barrett.

They struck in the 17th and 89th minutes to erase Kamal Malcolm's 14th-minute strike, which gave St George's the lead.

Difficult task

"One down, one to go," said St James coach, Pastor Hugh Solomon. "Coming to Kingston we knew that the task would be difficult to beat St George's, but today my guys stuck to the task, pressured them and in the end we were able to get the victory.

"It's now back to the 'Lion's Den' where we hope to put in an even better performance," he said. St George's started the better of the two teams with Malcolm and his strike twin, Shamar Shelton, brother of national striker Luton, running rings around the St James defence and creating at least three legitimate scoring chances, the last of which was converted by Malcolm.

Fired home

Picking up a ball just at the top of the area, Malcolm, who captured the Manning Cup's leading goalscorer title, dribbled past one defender and, from around the penalty spot, fired home. He then ventured to the stands where he and his teammates had a ball dancing and prancing in front of the largely partisan gathering, which sported light blue apparel, whistles and flags.

But what was joy soon turned to gloom for the North Street standardbearers as, three minutes later, St James came roaring back through the powerfully built Barrett who, from about 35 yards out, blasted a cracker of a free kick which beat St George's short goalkeeper Jevaughn Lennon all ends up.

With the first half ending even, both teams then turned their attention to the second stanza with St George's, who wanted a win to give them some breathing space heading into the second leg, trying to force the issue, and St James, knowing that a draw on the road could be a good a result, laying back and playing a counter-attacking game, which ultimately paid dividends a minute from full time.

Marked closely throughout the encounter, Ottey was the beneficiary of a well-weighted square from the right and, using his height to good effect, he headed powerfully home, much to the joy of his team's flag-waving supporters.

Pulled it off

"After giving up the goal, we wanted to consolidate and get back into the game and that we did. We really, really wanted to win, so we decided to keep up the pressure and in the end we pulled it off," Solomon said.

Meanwhile, Neville Bell, coach of St George's, said he thought his team played well but failed to capitalise on their chances.

"I thought we played well and had we put away our chances it would be a different scoreline," Bell said. "We just have to regroup and come again and try to take it in MoBay," he said.

The second leg of the showdown will be played on Saturday at Jarrett Park.