Western Bureau:
With the preliminary round of games in the 2009 ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel daCosta Cup schoolboy football competition drawing to a close, the jockeying for favourable positions going into the crucial second round will continue this afternoon with two games in Zone A and four in the divided Zone L, all starting at 3:30.
In the Zone A games, unbeaten Cornwall College will go up against the competitive Spot Valley at Jarrett Park, while the struggling Green Pond will be at home to third-place Muschett High at Cornwall Courts.
The other Zone A team, champions St James High, will see more action on Thursday.
Favourites
In Zone L, which features groups L (a) and L (b), those teams will commence their second round with Fair Prospect battling Port Antonio and Happy Grove at home to Buff Bay in L (a); and Seaforth away to Morant Bay and St Thomas Technical at home to Yallahs in L (b).
While Cornwall College should start favourites to beat Spot Valley and join St James High atop Zone A with 12 points, the game could be a tough one if their opponents turn up in the same form that saw them holding St James High 0-0 in the first half of their season-opening game and in their subsequent 1-0 win against Herbert Morrison.
"Our aim is to be very competitive in all our games and I am sure we will win a few games using that strategy," said Delroy Delisser, coach of Spot Valley. "We are a confident team and we believe in our ability."
However, with Cornwall College having a perfect 100 per cent win record from three games - scoring eight goals and giving up three - Spot Valley, with just one win and two defeats and an unflattering three goals for and seven against, will need to come up with something special if they hope to win.
Repeat win
Over in Zone L (a), group leader Port Antonio (12) will be hoping to repeat, if not improve on their first round 1-0 win against Fair Prospect, which would put further daylight between themselves and the other teams in the group. Happy Grove (3) will also be looking for a repeat win against bottom-place Buff Bay (0).
In L (b), leaders Seaforth (9), based on their first round 3-0 win, should again get the better of Morant Bay (4) and second-place St Thomas Technical should do the same to Yallahs, having beaten them 5-0 in the first round.
Games on
Zone A: Cornwall College vs Spot Valley at Jarrett Park, Green Pond vs Muschett at Cornwall Courts
Zone L (a): Fair Prospect vs Port Antonio at Fair Prospect, Happy Grove vs Buff Bay at Happy Grove
Zone L (b): Morant Bay vs Seaforth at York Sports Club, St Thomas Tech vs Yallahs at Eastern Banana Estates