Turner double lifts Hillel to within sight of qualification

Hillel Academy took a major step towards qualifying for the second round of the ISSA Manning Cup with a crucial 3-0 win over St Mary’s College at the Constant Spring field yesterday, moving into second place in Group B on eight points.

Matthew Turner (46th and 90th) and Kidae Pessoa-Pitt (53rd) scored second-half goals to hand the Sean Fraser-coached team the victory after a scoreless opening half.

“For me, it’s a big win and my players responded at half-time,” Fraser told The Gleaner.

“We went in 0-0 at half-time and I told them, they (opponents) are going to fight for everything and that we have to outfight them.

“The mentality we have this season is strong. People look at us as uptown boys, but we are more than that, we have heart and we have determination,” he said.

Of the five teams in the group, Hillel are the only side with two outstanding matches. The others have one game remaining, and Fraser said his team’s place in the next phase of the competition will be assured if they take care of business.

“At the start of the game, we were in fifth place. We played one less game, and with this victory we move up to eight points.

“Now we have to see the results of the other teams, which doesn’t really matter because if we win our next two games, we are in,” he stated.

In a lacklustre first half, St Mary showed greater initiative but struggled to create clear scoring opportunities.

However, immediately after the break, a St Mary defender was penalised for a handball inside the area and Turner converted the penalty to put Hillel ahead.

Pessoa-Pitt doubled the lead minutes later, stabbing home a low cross from six yards.

Turner sealed the victory late on with his second goal of the game to make it 3-0.

St Mary started the day in third place, and coach Everald Campbell said the defeat was a major setback to the team’s hopes of securing a top-two finish.

“It fell apart in the second half because of a lack of concentration and conditioning. In the first minute [of the second half] we gave away a penalty, and after that we held down our heads and never looked like we could fight back. This performance is far behind the quality that we have,” he said.

“We were in third, but to lose to Hillel means they go ahead of us. We have Clan Clarthy to play and if we win, we go to nine points, but I don’t know where nine points carries us, if it is the best third place,” he commented.

Meanwhile, José Martí moved into sole possession of the Group B lead after previous leaders Innswood suffered a 1-0 defeat to Papine, while José Martí hammered Clan Carthy 6-1.

José Martí lead the group with 10 points, followed by Hillel on eight. Innswood are on seven points, while St Mary, Penwood and Papine are all on six.

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com

Yesterday’s Games

Greater Portmore 2-0 Jonathan Grant

Bridgeport 2-0 Ascot

Camperdown 2-1 Holy Trinity

Norman Manley 3-0 Pembroke Hall

Donald Quarrie 1-1 Ardenne

Edith Dalton James 3-1 KTHS

José Martí 6-1 Clan Carthy

Papine 1-0 Innswood