Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter

Walker Cup debutants Eltham and last year's beaten finalist Calabar battled their way into the semi-final stages of the competition, following nerve-racking wins over Excelsior and Waterford at Stadium East yesterday.

After goalless full and extra-time, the green and black clad boys who dub themselves 'Rabalac', the reverse spelling of their school's name, eventually triumphed in a 7-6 penalty shoot-out.

Robert Palmer, Marlon Smith, Kabari Palmer, Lennox Creary, Shane Bygrave, Kenneil Hyde and goalkeeper Curtis Chickroy all netted for Calabar, while Conrad White, Andre Darby, Anthony Stichell, Mark Walters, goalkeeper Peter Harrison and Vaughn Griffiths scored for Waterford.

tough game

"It was a very tough game, but I think we played very well throughout the game. We got numerous opportunities but we just did not put them away," said a relieved David Hunt, coach of the Calabar team.

"Give credit to Waterford though, they came today and they played tough," Hunt, who broke Waterford's unbeaten streak added.

Waterford's coach, Floyd Coke, said: "Overall the team did well. Calabar are a bit more experienced, but we could have done better if we had put away our opportunities."

In the day's second game, Eltham found themselves a minute away from elimination courtesy of an 87th minute strike by Alanzo Aldam.

Aldam, who had proved to be a thorn in the side of the Eltham defence, seemed to have stolen the win for Excelsior, when he broke free on the counter to toe past Eltham custodian Kelso Cousins.

However, Eltham had other ideas and in the dying second of time added for injuries a kind bounce in the area saw Stephen Stewart sending the game into extra-time with a fierce volley from 12 yards away.

brown the hero

Substitute Shevon Brown proved to be the hero in the 108th minute when he poked past Excelsior custodian Chevon Bowen from six yards away, after Bowen had failed to hold onto a high looping shot from Dwayne Hunter.

"This shows the character of the team, when we went one down I told them to hold their composure and we were able to get the goal back," said an elated Gregory Allen, coach of the Eltham team.

"We just have to take it one day at a time, we have a tough semi-final game coming up so we will do some work in preparation for that," he added.

Leebert Halliman, Excelsior's coach, said: "Eltham are an older and stronger team so as the game progressed they really took control and we weren't able to keep up with them."

Eltham will face Calabar in one semi-final at Stadium East next Tuesday at 1:00p.m..

The competition continues today with the remaining quarter-final matches at the same venue.

In the opening game, Bridgeport will tackle Charlie Smith in the opening game at 1:00 p.m., while Norman Manley and Jamaica College will contest the feature match that is slated to kick-off at 3:00 p.m. The winners of those contests will square off in next Tuesday's other semi-final, at 3:00p.m..

Eltham eliminate Excelsior too on dramatic quarter-final day