A first half stoppage time header from Orane Ferguson cancelled out a 2nd minute striker from Rashawn Mackison as Calabar High came from behind to earn a 1-1 draw with Kingston College in the quarter final of the ISSA/FLOW Manning Cup at the Stadium East Field on Saturday.
Played in front of the largest crowd at the venue this season, the highly anticipated game between two of the fiercest rival in schoolboy sports in the country, got off to an explosive start in a highly charged atmosphere.
Just two minutes into the contest, KC’s leading scorer Rashawn Mackison swept home a cross from Omar Thompson to the delight of the purple and white clad fans in the standing room only, jam packed bleachers. KC had come into the contest as overwhelming favourites based on their early season form and the early goal was just what the doctor ordered.
Despite conceding early, Calabar showed that they were up for the contest and refused to let KC settle into their usual passing game with some robust tackling by their rugged defenders and also in midfield.
Calabar’s first chance of the game came when both KC central defenders misjudged a ball but Chadeem Rodriquez was out in a flash to avert the danger, charging down the shot by Orane Ferguson.
The Red Hills Road based team enjoyed a period of dominance as they pushed KC back in their hunt for an equalizer but was met by stout resistance from the boys in purple and white.
At the other end of the pitch, Renato Campbell came close to doubling the lead when his curling effort from outside the area went inches over the crossbar.
Not long after KC was presented with a glorious opportunity to extend the lead when Omar Thompson was brought down inside the area and a penalty awarded. The striker picked himself up and took the spot kick but his effort went wide of the right upright.
Calabar capitalized on the lifeline they were given by their opponents when they grabbed the equalizer in first half stoppage time. KC failed to negotiate a long throw into the area and Ferguson was on hand to head home at the back post.
KC came out on the front foot at the start of the second half and were close to restoring the lead when Thompson struck the crossbar from 16 yards.
Mathue Sterling brought out the best in goalkeeper Rodriquez with a free kick deep inside the KC half. Rodriquez had to scramble the ball clear as it seemed destined for the back of the net. The KC defence came under pressure on a couple of occasions as they struggled to clear their lines on back to back corner kicks.
The KC dominance associated with the pre-game hype never materialized as Calabar gave as good as they got to come away with a very useful point in the three game quarterfinal round.
Kingston College will next play Bridgeport High who went down 0-2 to champions Jamaica College in the day’s earlier game, while Calabar will have to recover both mentally and physically to take on JC, also on Tuesday.
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