ON another rain-drenched afternoon, Dunoon Technical entered the reckoning for a place in the second round of the Sport Plus/Pepsi Manning Cup with a 2-1 victory over St. Anne's in a return Group B encounter at the Cement Company's field yesterday.
The result pushed the 1998 champions to second place in the group with 12 points and damaged the perfect win record of group leaders St. Anne's who remain on 17 points.
Only two of the scheduled eight encounters were played as rain washed out the remaining fixtures. In another Group B encounter, Vauxhall handed Campion College
a 1-0 defeat in a Group B bottom-of-the-table clash.
However, coach Carlton "Spanner" Dennis was not excited about Dunoon's result which enabled his team to clear an important hurdle in their attempt to be among the 12 schools which will advance to the second phase.
"We have three more games and that will decide where we go. This is schoolboy football, today you are hot and a next time you get cold," said Dennis.
On a very soggy outfield which make offensive movement very difficult and midfield play almost non-existent, Dunoon went behind in the 48th minutes but within the space of two minutes erased the deficit.
After a goalless first half where play was even for most part, St. Anne's went ahead very early in the second half when Troyland Williams picked up a loose ball in a muddy spot 20 yards out, turn beautifully and fired a tame shot which surprisingly beat Richard Barrett.
Dunoon immediately went on the attack and answered back in the 50th minute. The hard-running Craig Campbell was instrumental in the goal as he made a solo run from the half before playing inside to Marlon Barnes, who got by his marker and blasted home.
Dunoon took full control after that by playing a crisp passing game and were rewarded in the 63rd minute when the duo of Damion Johnson and Gary Edwards mesmerised the St. Anne's defender before Edwards slotted home from inside the 18-yard box.
