Paul Clarke, Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

Still on a high after their opening round 2-0 victory over Herbert Morrison two Saturdays ago, the Anthony 'Follies' Williams-coached defending champions Rusea's High are raring to go against the strong-tackling unit from Green Island in one of five matches scheduled for today in the ISSA/Gatorade/Digicel rural area daCosta Cup football competition.

Frome Technical, the early Zone B leaders on goal difference over Rusea's, will tackle Merlene Ottey, while Herbert Morrison will look to get their first points of the season when they meet Cambridge in a do-or-die encounter after losing their two games. Herbert Morrison were left licking their wounds after suffering a 3-2 loss to Frome last Saturday.

Even with some reported injury concerns, Rusea's appear to be in ominous form on the strength of their attacking play - led by the speedy Anthony Walker and Terito Gregory - in the opening game of the season.

Over in Zone D, the situation is not that dissimilar as 2005 cham-pions Godfrey Stewart are favoured to take three points off Little London, which lost 3-0 to Manning's in an earlier meeting.

One more point

Godfrey Stewart earned a point in their nil-all draw with Grange Hill last Saturday.

A win for the former champions would throw the zone wide open, after both Grange Hill and Man-ning's won their respective opening matches, before the latter lost 2-0 to Petersfield, who themselves lost their opener to Grange Hill to be on three points after two games.

"We want to bounce back from the defeat on Saturday. We see this match as a must-win and will go in search for all three points against this Grange Hill side," said Manning's coach Aaron Lawrence.

"Manning's cannot afford to lose this one. It would be a severe setback to our intentions. Nevertheless, we are confident we will win as we will be playing at home where we always do better," Lawrence added.

Grange Hill sit atop the zone on four points, with Manning's, Petersfield and Godfrey Stewart all battling for the second spot in a tight zone, and coach Dwayne Warren is pinning his hopes on another win to separate the schools.

"The conditions never suited us on Saturday against Godfrey (Stewart) ... but I am certain of a better showing against the Manning's School. We want the three points,"said Warren.

"We expect a tough game, but none is easy really, so we have to do what we can to win," Warren noted.

(home teams named first)

TODAY'S GAMES

Zone B

Rusea's vs Green Island

Merlene Ottey vs Frome

Herbert Morrison vs Cambridge

Zone D

Manning's vs Grange Hill

Little London vs Godfrey Stewart

All games start at 3:30 p.m.