23 Aug 2015

Township Rollers coach, Mark Harrison castigated his players for “failing to come into the game” after his team was held to a one-all draw by visiting rookies, Galaxy FC under floodlights at the Molepolole Sports Complex recently. 

Having been considered the favourites to walk over the minors from the mining town of Jwaneng, Popa found the opponent rather a hard nut to crack, as the visitors took the game to them from the first whistle until the end. 

However, the visibly disappointed Englishman thought the draw was more to do with his team’s poor display rather than the superb performance of his opponents. 

“This was a very poor performance from us. Throughout the game we never really passed the ball well. I think my players were lax because we were playing one of the teams considered minors, but this is despite the fact that all this past week I have been warning my players against such mentality against small teams,” he said. 

According to Harrison, none of his players really applied themselves. “Our quality was poor tonight in all departments. We never passed the ball well and never delivered any quality crosses into the box,” he said. 

Harrison, however, had a little praise for the rookies. “They were highly competitive, fair play to them,” he said. 

Despite much of Harrison’s thinking, Galaxy FC played their hearts out and attacked Rollers from all angles, having almost an equal share of possession and attacking chances. 

The Jwaneng lads put a gallant performance like seasoned campaigners in the elite league, and should they keep a similar performance throughout the season, Galaxy would be one of the teams to watch. 

Having acquired seasoned players like skipper, Boitumelo “Navara” Mafoko, Mmusa Ohilwe, Kenanao “Flo” Kgetholetsile among others, Galaxy FC looks like a team that has laid the foundation well, and only have to build on what they have to become a competitive outfit in the beMMOBILE premiership. Their coach, Oris Radipotsane was reasonably content with the result. 

“This is a very good result for us more so that we were playing away. It is not easy to get such results against a team of Rollers calibre. After all, we came into the game looking for a draw and that is what we got,” he said. 

After labouring for a long time, Rollers were awarded a freekick on the edge of the box four minutes before recess, and the evergreen, Segolame Boy slotted directly onto the net, beating Galaxy shot stopper Ezekiel Morake hands down. 

Two minutes later, Tshiamo Moreetsi should have equalised, but with only Kabelo Dambe at his mercy, the midfielder shot wide at goal. 

After recess, the two teams did not display much of a change in their play, and in the 63^rd minute, Galaxy silenced Popa supporters when defender, Mosimanegape “Chippa” Ngongorego slotted home a rebound from a free-kick. 

The goal seemed to give Galaxy a sniff of victory as they continued to push the home team 

In the 74^th minute, Kgetholetsile nearly gifted his former team a goal when he attempted to clear a corner kick, but the dreadlocked striker lunged too deep, ricocheting the ball against his own cross bar before the ball was cleared for another corner. 

The game also saw the long anticipated debut of winger, Joel Mogorosi who has moved back to the country from Bloemfontein Celtics in South Africa. Another experienced player, Tshepo Motlhabankwe was however, left on the bench as Harrison said he needed a little rest. Ends