JC return in winning form
Published:Saturday | November 29, 2025 | 12:10 AM
Jamaica College (JC) resumed ISSA/WATA Manning Cup action in winning form as they downed St Jago High 2-1 yesterday at the Ashenheim Stadium.
Dontae Logan opened the scoring in time added of the first half when he converted from the spot.
Marlando Smith pulled St Jago level in the 60th minute before Keshaun-Lee Chin rescued all three points in the 87th minute.
In the other match of the group, Eltham High handed Mona High their first defeat of the season, taking all three points in a 1-0 win.
Santana Headley scored the all-important goal for Eltham in the second half of the contest.
The result sees JC move atop Group Four with four points, level with Eltham on points and goal difference, but hold the advantage with more goals scored.
Mona sit third with three points while St Jago are yet pick up a point.
St Jago are now also out of contention for a spot in the Manning Cup’s final eight.
Raymond Watson, JC’s coach, praised his players for claiming the win but felt they had made the contest far more difficult than it needed to be.
Watson said their failure to convert their chances in the first half allowed St Jago to pull level in the second half.
He, however, gave credit to St Jago for their fight and their defensive display.
“Yes, I thought in the first half we should have scored a few of the chances that were clear-cut chances, and in second half also, we got some glaring opportunities,” he said in his post-match interview.
“So we made it difficult for ourselves. But in the end, St Jago still did well, they defended well, their goalkeeper pulled off some great saves also.”
The opening stanza of the contest was heavily dominated by JC as they immediately applied pressure against the visitors.
The got their first look in at goal in the 13th minute when Jamoy Dennis fired through a crowd of bodies but saw his effort flying wide of the mark.
They got a second chance just minutes later as Duwayne Burgher picked up the ball near the halftime and drove at St Jago’s defence.
Coming down the goal line, Burgher tested his luck from a tight angle but sent the ball zipping past the face of the goal.
St Jago’s goalkeeper John Adlam was tested throughout the game and his best highlight came in the 42nd minute as he made a triple save to deny Burgher and Gerveir Grant from close range.
JC’s pressure paid off when they earned a penalty in first half added time when Grant was brought down in the box, allowing Logan to convert.
St Jago started the second half with greater purpose and came close to the equaliser when Richardo Lewis headed just wide of the post.
The Ravens found the equaliser at the hour mark through a display of brilliance as Smith found the back of the net with a well-executed hit from range.
Both teams went in search for the game decider as they carved out several opportunities, but could not find the back of the net.
That was until second-half substitute Keshaun-Lee Chin fired home from close range in the dying minutes of the game.