Western Bureau:

Champions St James High School strode back into solid contention in the inter-zone round of the 2009 ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel daCosta Cup yesterday afternoon, when they scored a big 3-0 win over Manning's to be joint leader of the competition's Group One, with Frome Technical.

In the game, which was played at Jarrett Park, Montego Bay, the Pastor Hugh Solomon-coached St James High scored through skipper John Barrett, Roshane Reid and Allan Ottey. The St James team drew their first-round game against Frome Technical.

"We came into this game knowing that we had no choice but to win and the players stepped up to the occasion," said Solomon. "Today's game was a big improvement over our game against Frome Technical."

battling performance

In their game against William Knibb, the Frome Technical team turned in a battling performance to run out with a 3-2 win, a game which both teams traded the lead on a least two occasions. Frome and St James are both locked atop the group standings on four points going into Wednesday final round of matches.

Ben Francis winners Glenmuir kept themselves on course for the coveted rural double, daCosta Cup and Ben Francis, when a late strike by Newton Henry gave them a 1-0 win over Annotto Bay High. The win makes Glenmuir sole leaders of Group Five with maximum six points from their two games.

In a most impressive performance, Manchester High School was rampant in their Group Four game against Lennon High, running out impressive 5-0 winners at Kirkvine Sports Club. Jason Johnson (2), Oral Johnson, Junior Neil and Chanaldo Forbes were the players on target for Manchester.

Manchester High, 1-0 first-round winners against Edwin Allen, now have maximum six points and, in addition to being sole group leaders, they just need a draw against St Elizabeth Technical High School in the their final game to emerge winner of the group.

In Group Two, many-times champions Rusea's placed themselves in a precarious position when they missed a penalty in their 1-1 draw against Marcus Garvey at Jarrett Park. With Cornwall College and Grange Hill playing out a 1-1 draw in their game at the Frome Sports Ground, the group is now wide open.

bottom of the standings

Marcus Garvey, who had a first-round 1-0 win against Grange Hill, lead the group with four points. Rusea's and Cornwall College are on two points each while the Grange Hill team are at the bottom of the standings with just one point.

In Group Six, Dinthill Technical, behind goals from Tevin Skyers (2), Romaine Henry and Gary Chambers, made it two wins from two starts with a 4-2 win over Paul Bogle. However, Garvey Maceo, who they will meet in Wednesday's final game, were all the rage in dishing out a 9-0 beating on St Mary Technical to move up to four points.

Yesterday's results

Group One

St James 3 Manning's 0

Frome 3 William Knibb 2

Group Two

Rusea's 1 Marcus Garvey 1

Grange Hill 1 Cornwall College 1

Group Three

Clarendon College 2 Bellefield 1

Spaldings 2 Munro 0

Group Four

Manchester 5 Lennon 0

STETHS 1 Edwin Allen 0

Group Five

Glenmuir 1 Annotto Bay 0

Port Antonio 1 Bog Walk 0

Group Six

Garvey Maceo 9 St Mary Tech 0

Dinthill 4 Paul Bogle 2