17 Sep 2015

Goals from Edwin Moalosi, Carl Finnigan, Kobamelo Kebaikanye and Motsholetsi Sikele gave Township Rollers a resounding 4-0 win over Motlakase Power Dynamos on Wednesday night ( September 16) , lifting the Blues to position two on the log.

Rollers had entered the contest perched at position five on the log, but victory over the struggling Palapye side lifted Popa to second spot, with 14 points from their opening six games. 

With four wins and two draws, Rollers are one of only two unbeaten sides, alongside log leaders Police XI, who have 16 points after five wins and a draw.

Motlakase offered very little attacking intent on the night, never threatening Kabelo Dambe’s goal, with the Rollers rearguard marshaled by Mogogi Gabonamong and Simisani Mathumo having precious little to do on the night.

Given that, Rollers should have been expected to be more assertive from the beginning of the match.   But Popa failed to stamp their authority in the match early on, with some of their passing going astray and their attacking play lethargic for a star studded side facing struggling minnows.

With Dambe in goal, and a three man midfield made up of man of the match Lawrence Majawa, Edwin Moalosi and captain Sekhana ‘Nandos’ Koko, with winger Joel Mogorosi part of the attack in the 4-3-3 formation, the Rollers side that lined up on Wednesday night was reminiscent of the 2009-10 and 2010-11 title winning squad.

Those years the aforementioned stars played alongside the likes of Terrence Mandaza, now based in South Africa, and Edwin Olerile, now with Gaborone United, intimidating opponents with pace and power, making a ‘catch me if you can’ start, accumulating points early in the league campaign en route to being crowned champions. But the current Rollers side has not yet looked intimidating to opponents and the first half of the Motlakase tie was further proof.   

The aptly named Botshelo ‘Life’ Lerato displayed some deft touches on the ball, attempting to ignite life into the Motlakase midfield, and together with Thabo Mosielele and Othusitse Mahube they strung passes on the night for Chouka-Chouka. But the Palapye side ended up playing horizontal passes in deep positions, their attacking play very sluggish.

It would be Rollers who would open the scoring in the 29th minute, Joel Mogorosi finding his way into the box before releasing the ball for Moalosi to grab the opening goal.

Mogorosi rattled the cross bar with a powerful header just before half time, but the score line remained 1-0 at the break. In the second half Popa showed more intent going forward and British import Carl Finnigan made it 2-0 in the 50th minute. 

He then turned provider, giving a telling pass to Kebaikanye to make it 3-0 in the 68th minute, before substitute Sikele made it 4-0 in the 85th minute. Sikele had put pressure on the Motlakase defence, who deflected the ball into their own net, but the goal was credited to the Rollers forward.

While their Central District neighbours Miscellaneous, Green Lovers and BR Highlanders have made a creditable start to the 2015-16 beMOBILE premiership campaign, Motlakase Power Dynamos are clearly struggling; after five losses and one draw, they are rooted at the bottom of the log table. Chouka now travel to Selebi Phikwe to meet Nico United this Sunday, while Popa face Gilport Lions in Lobatse tomorrow . ENDS