Campion dispatch Norman Manley; ease into next round
Published:Saturday | October 18, 2025 | 12:11 AMGregory Bryce/Staff Reporter
Campion College saw no need to move past first gear as they comfortably dispatched Norman Manley High 4-0 yesterday in the final match of the Zone D playoffs in the ISSA/WATA Manning Cup at their home field.
A brace from Damerae Edwards (38th minute, 62nd) along with goals from Blaine Bucknor (19th) and Tyler Falconer (47th) led the way for the Campionites who had already booked their place in the round of 16.
Newton Sterling, Campion’s head coach, praised his players for their prolific return ahead of the next round.
“To be honest, it’s a good look and a good turnaround going into the next round,” he said.
“We practised a few things this week and we saw it come out in the game and that’s always a good look. We got four goals in the game, the most we’ve gotten in a game this season, and goals will always win matches.”
Campion entered the game brimming with confidence against a demotivated Norman Manley unit who were already eliminated.
The game immediately swung in the favour of Campion as they pressed for the early goal and found purchase with Bucknor’s strike within 20 minutes.
Bereft of any motivation, Norman Manley crumbled in the face of Campion’s pressure and conceded a second goal before the half-time whistle.
Edwards was found free on the edge of the box and let fly a curling effort that found the back of the net.
GOALKEEPING DILEMMA
Campion fans were treated to an odd sight throughout the game as Falconer, who normally leads the line as a striker, was between the sticks this time around, wearing the goalkeeper’s gloves.
Sterling explained the team has lost both of their goalkeepers due to illness ahead of the match and Falconer had volunteered to go in the goal.
“Unfortunately, both of our goalkeepers are sick. If you noticed in the St Catherine game, it was our young goalkeeper in the goal because our main goalkeeper was out sick,” Sterling explained.
“Then the youngster became sick today, so we had to make that decision and Tyler volunteered to go in the goal and he actually did pretty well.”
However, his makeshift role as a goalkeeper did not stop Falconer from adding his name to scoresheet as he converted a penalty two minutes into the second half when Edwards was brought down in the box.
Silky feet
Edwards completed his brace, and sealed the win, just past the hour mark with a show of improvisation and silky feet.
After a poor first touch in the box, Edwards recovered to beat his marker, skip in between two defenders before neatly finishing past the goalkeeper.
The result means Campion finish third in Zone D with 16 points, while Norman Manley finish fourth with nine.
With Campion set to contest the Round of 16 in Group Two alongside Kingston College and Calabar, Sterling said there is still more work to be done on the training pitch.
“We have some work to do because for now, I don’t want to jump the gun. We’re going back to the drawing board on Monday, and taking it a game at a time.”