Paul Clarke, Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

Defending champions Rusea's kept up their relentless march towards a third successive title, whipping Green Island 4-0 in the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/Gatorade/Digicel rural area daCosta Cup schoolboy football competition.

The win was enough to keep them in second place on six points in Zone B, with Frome out front with maximum nine points following their 4-0 demolition of Merlene Ottey.

Demar Doeman netted a brace for Rusea's, while speedy forward Anthony Walker and Steve Malcolm Jr, the son of former Reggae Boy Steve 'Shorty' Malcolm, were also on the scorecard.

At Manning's School, the home team squandered a 50th-minute strike from Romario Pessoa to eke out a draw against Grange Hill, who were offered a penalty kick in the 93rd minute when the referee blew his whistle for a ball handled ball inside the area during a mad scramble, that saw the ball rolling into the back of the net. That goal was called back and the subsequent penalty was scored.

Scoreless draw

With the win, Grange Hill remain top of Zone D on five points, one more than Manning's and Petersfield.

Petersfield were held to a scoreless draw by Little London in the other group match. Little London thus earned their first point of the competition.

The Aaron Lawrence-coached Manning's looked versatile in their attack, led by Melvin Blair, Pessoa and Tevin Daley.

It was Daley, who provided the pass that led to the opening goal, when he drove his pass from an angle into the area and Pessoa latched onto it, rounded goalkeeper Omario Hendricks then fired home.

The goal stood until the penalty in the dying moments of the game.

"We played very well today, especially in attack. But we are disappointed not to have won the game. Their goal (penalty kick) was dubious at best. But we will just have to rebound in our next game," said Lawrence, whose team will play 2005 champions Godfrey Stewart next Tuesday.

Today's matches

Zone A

Green Pond vs Cornwall College

Zone C

Hopewell vs William Knibb

Muschett vs Spot Valley

Zone E

Munro vs Lacovia

Maggotty vs Black River

STETHS vs Balaclava

Zone F

Bellefield vs Cross Keys

B.B. Coke vs Mile Gully

Zone G

DeCarteret vs Spalding

Knox vs Alston

Holmwood vs Christiana

Zone H

Lennon vs Edwin Allen

Thompson Town vs Clarendon College

Zone I

Marcus Garvey vs York Castle

Cedric Titus vs Albert Town

Browns Town vs Ocho Rios

Zone J

St Mary Tech vs Iona

St Mary High vs Brimmervale

Islington vs Oracabessa

Zone K

Bog Walk vs Charlemont

Dinthill vs Tacky

McGrath vs Ewarton

Zone L

Fair Prospect vs Port Antonio

Titchfield vs Happy Grove

Zone M

Denbigh vs Glenmuir

Foga Road vs Garvey Maceo

Bustamante vs Porus

Zone N

Tacius Golding vs Old Harbour

Kemps Hill vs Vere

Zone O

Seaforth vs Yallahs

St Thomas Tech vs Paul Bogle

Robert Lightbourne vs Morant Bay