Excelsior's JeVaughn Howard (left) leaps high to pass the ball, while Bridgeport's Warren Morgan chases during the ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel Walker Cup KO schoolboy football match at Spanish Town Prison Oval yesterday. Excelsior won 2-1. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
Excelsior and Eltham both registered stunning come from behind wins to book their place in the semi-final round of the ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel Walker Cup KO schoolboy football competition, following respective wins over Bridgeport and Norman Manley at the Spanish Town Prison Oval yesterday.
After falling behind to Bridgeport, Excelsior put in a spirited performance, even after going down to 10 men, before getting the better of the 2001 champions 2-1.
Perhaps even more impressive was the feat of Eltham, who conceded two early goals, but came back for a 3-2 win, capped off with a 90th minute scorcher from Stephen Williams, to shatter Norman Manley hearts.
"The good thing about going down two goals early is that you have a lot of time to get back in the game, so I was never really worried," said Eltham coach Gregory Allen.
Allen saw his team going behind on two shocking defensive errors. A two-man wall opened up to give Kemar Josephs a free shot to goal from an eighth minute free kick around 20 yards out, from which he easily beat an exposed Francios Pusey in the Eltham goal.
A defensive give away at the edge of the area then allowed Kimani Henry to break free in the area before firing past Pusey from a tough angle in the 15th minute.
Ricardo Whyte took advantage of an awkward clearance from the Norman Manley back line to fire Eltham back into contention in the 43rd minute; and Hubert Mike sprinted onto a long ball down field to level the scores two minutes later.
If Norman Manley's voices were quietened by seeing the game brought back on level terms, they were shut up for good when Williams picked up a ball outside of the area to the right and unleashed a wicked shot past Shaun Jones, who had no chance of keeping the ball out of the far side of the goal.
"The funny thing is I told him he should score today and he delivered a beauty. I was particularly pleased with the team's effort at the close of the first half and at the start of the second," Allen said.
Disappointing exit
It was a dissapointing exit to the competition for Norman Manley coach Miguel Coley, as he lamented his team's lack of concentration.
"It was obviously disappointing to lose in this way, it was a total lack of concentration," he said.
"The fact is that giving up two goals it was always going to be hard for us to recover from that," he added.
In the day's earlier game, Adoah Nickle gave Bridgeport a well-deserved lead when he collected a pass from Steele, then placed the ball wide of Excelsior goalkeeper Chevon Brown in the 18th minute.
However, just at the start of the second half, Excelsior were awarded a penalty, which saw Nico Brett pull things level in the 47th minute.
Despite going down to 10 men following a second yellow card for Kevaughn Russell, Excelsior were rewarded for their continued industry going forward, when a spill from the Norman Manley goalkeeper ended up on the boot of Akiem Coley in the 90th minute.