18 Aug 2014

Township Rollers left back, Otlaantshekela Mooketsi’s long range equaliser from set piece denied Extension Gunners an almost obvious win at the Lobatse sports complex on August 16.

Gunners who had opened the score cards with a header early into the second half through Mosimanegape Ntwaetsile had doggedly and effectively contained Rollers for the lion’s share of what had turned out to be a one sided contest until Mooketsi stunned the supporters who were confident of a win, into silence with a last swing of the cat kind of strike outside the 18 yard area.

Gunners’ fans did not see it coming, even Rollers supporters would never have guessed that goalkeeper Wagarre Dikago who had done an immaculate job the whole time, would spill the seemingly harmless grass cutter from his pouch through his legs into the back of net.

But, against the run of play, Gunners had by all intents and purposes turned Rollers into an excuse for the team that had annihilated them 7-0 in the Kabelano charity cup a little over a fortnight ago, before they scored the equaliser. 

Although endowed with height and physical presence, Rollers defence manned by Oscar Ncenga was jittery and reactive for the lion’s share of the time when Gunners stocky right winger Kelello Kgosimore took the game to them. Likewise, Gunners rear guard displayed tactical superiority, class and craft despite the height that was provided against them by the hefty Rollers forward Jerome Louis and Manqoba Ngwenya who came in as a sub. 

However, the absence of Rollers goal poacher Chicken Sekhana Koko who had picked an injury in the opening minutes of the game evidently did a heavy blow to the visitors’ game plan as they seemed to lack supply, creativity and mobility in mid park thus had very little answer when Gunners exploded with pace and mechanically turned defence into attack.

On the other hand, the arrival of Gunners prodigal son, Kemmy Gweru Pilato provided a steady head in mid-park, while Jomo Moatlhaping and Topo Piet provided purpose and zest to their attack. But it was another ‘nearly but not quite’ for the home side.

In a post-match interview Gunners coach Dragojlo Stanojlovic said he was happy with his charges but disappointed that they allowed a late goal to rob them of a clear win.

Rollers coach also concurred that his boys did not come to the party. “Credit should go to Gunners because they carried the game to us the whole time, unfortunately the goalkeeper went to sleep and gave us a goal to save my job,” said Madinda Ndlovu. ENDS