Coach Stephens pleased as Frome exact revenge on Munro

FROME Technical took control of Group 1 in the ISSA daCosta Cup football competition after defeating Munro College 1-0 in the second-round game at the Frome Sports Complex in Westmoreland on Thursday. The game began on Wednesday but was curtailed at the seven-minute mark due to heavy rainfall. Tavar Cox scored the late winner as the hosts survived missing a second-half penalty to avenge a 0-5 annihilation at the hands of Munro in the Ben Francis Cup at the same venue. The victory moved Frome Technical to nine points — ahead of defending champions St Elizabeth Technical and third-placed Munro College, both on six points. Cleighton Stephens, Frome’s head coach, was satisfied with his team’s execution during the rematch. “We played our game and did not allow them to dictate anything to us, [and] we kept possession as much as possible,” he said. “We know what we have here. If we can keep this group together we can win multiple titles in the years to come,” Stephens added. Frome were awarded a penalty in the 57th minute when Jovaunnie Whyte was hacked down inside the Munro 18-yard box, after a deep run from midfield. But Wayne Mullings then hit the base of the right post after a slow, lengthy run-up. Cox spared the home team’s blushes when he scored late in the game as Frome kept a third-straight clean sheet in the round. At York Castle High on Thursday, Cornwall rebounded from their loss to William Knibb Memorial to beat Brown’s Town High 3-1 in the Group 6 game that was called off after 26 minutes on Wednesday, also due to rain. Cornwall scored twice in the second half to break a 1-1 deadlock at half-time. Shakeem Gibson had given Cornwall the lead but Ornardo Flowers equalised after a defender misplayed a back pass to his goalkeeper. Corlando Morris put Cornwall College back into the lead when he scored from close range after two of his teammates had failed to connect. And Mekhi Foster secured the points when he dribbled from half line to fire past goalkeeper D’Andre Gordon. Cornwall are tied with Rusea’s High on six points, with the teams holding identical statistics of six goals for and three against. However, both trail Manning’s School who are on nine points. On Friday, Lacovia High will be hunting a fourth-straight victory in Group 2 when they take on winless Ferncourt High at Drax Hall. A win would virtually secure Lacovia’s place in the Round of 16. Lacovia High, who edged Central High 3-2 last time out, lead with maximum nine points. They will face a Ferncourt High team that is already eliminated from the competition after losing three straight in the round. — Paul A Reid