Robert Bailey,  Gleaner Writer

Kingston College (KC) sent a strong warning to their rivals in this year's Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/ Gatorade/Digicel Manning Cup schoolboy football competition, with an impressive 7-0 victory over Meadowbrook in their Group G encounter at Clovelly Park, Kingston College (North Street campus), yesterday.

In the group's other game, St Andrew Technical and Pembroke Hall played to a 1-1 draw.

The Donovan 'DV' Hayles-coached KC, who were quarter-finalists last year, were led to victory courtesy of a hat-trick from striker Rasheed Dawkins and a double from substitute Dwayne Stone.

"It is a good start for us," said Hayles. "However, I think that we still have a long way to go because I am not going to get over the moon with this performance.

"I still see a lot of ends that didn't look right to me, and we are going to work very hard to correct this going forward in the competition," Hayles said.

The speedy and skilful Dawkins netted goals in the sixth, 50th and 72nd minutes as Meadowbrook failed to keep pace with the smooth-flowing attacking play of KC, who led 3-0 at half-time.

The fleet-footed Stone, who received huge cheers from the home fans prior to entering the field, scored in the 81st and 88th minutes.

KC, whose main players last season, Jorghino James, Tazio Gilpin and Jason Greenland, transferred to Wolmer's Boys' sixth form, received a dream start as Shamala Ashman scored in the opening minute.

Ashman collected a pass from Kyle Smith, then dribbled around three defenders to calmly slot the ball past custodian Kristoff Samuels.

Dawkins doubled KC's lead five minutes later when he fired home from point-blank range, while Dorvil Jackson netted the third with a rasping 20-yard effort in the 18th.

Douglas Clarke, coach of Meadowbrook, said: "I think that inexperience got the better of us, because this is a very young team.

"However, having said that, I believe that we were very nervous in the first half and that got the better of us, because we played well for most of the second half."