17 Apr 2016

Lobatse based Extension Gunners dreams of penetrating its way into the Top 8 position of the log seemed to be fading after it was beaten by Jwaneng Galaxy 2 -1 in a beMOBILE Premiership game played  at the Lobatse Sports Complex on Saturday.

However, hunger and determination was seen in both teams to win the game as they tried all they could to increase their points and improve their log standing.

Currently sitting at position six of the log with 43 points, Galaxy fought with all they could to stay in the Top 8 of the league.

Sitting at position nine with 36 points, Mapantsula boys’ ambition of playing in the lucrative Top 8 tournament in the next season is still a not so far fetched and not so far away dream if they win the remaining two games of the season.

Despite all the fight the Peleng boys put through out the 90 minutes of the game, they could not end with more balls behind the net. Having started the game on a high note with more goal attempts than their counterparts, it was however Galaxy who were rewarded and beat Gunners 2 -1.

Gunners captain, Jomo Moatlhaping in the first 15 minutes of the game scored a brilliant goal from a set piece and to give his side the game.

A game that was marred with a lot of rough tackles found the referee Gilbert Leteane having to quite often blow his whistle and at the same time summon the boys from both teams to take it easy and play each other clean.

The Galaxy boys however seemed not to get the referees warning as two of its players, continued with the rough tackles earning them yellow cards.

A rough tackle on Emmanuel Machinya and Mothusi Cooper of Gunners earned Tebogo Sosome and Tebogo Sembowa of Galaxy yellow cards of the game respectively.

Having gone to half time with Gunners leading 1 – 0 , the Galaxy boys however came back determined to beat Gunners as it tested Gunners’ goal keeper skills on the ball who was however quick to frustrate them with his skillfull save.

It was however a lapse on the Peleng boys side in the second half of the game that Galaxy’s Morris Ruzivo scored an equalising goal.

Despite his sign of showing frustrations by the refereeing team on the unfair decisions that they were taking against his boys, Daniel ‘Chico Dance’ Nare did all he could to salvage the situation.

Bringing in fresh legs by substituting Topo Peit for Mandla Mgadla and Tshegofatso Chimuku for Moatlhaping seemed not to create any magic as Gunners could not score any more goals.

The winning goal of the game however raised a lot of eyebrows and especially anger among Gunners players and supporters as it was scored while Thapelo ‘Shoes’ Mosweu, was down in the middle of the pitch with a head injury.

Even Gunners goalkeeper could not be drawn into saving Moreetsi Mosimanyana’s ball as it went past him and scoring the last goal of the game, ending the game with Galaxy winning the game.

Gunners coach, Nare could neither be drawn to express his views of the game as he refused to have an interview  with the media after game.

Galaxy coach, Philane Mabena expressed gratitude to his boys for winning the game, saying though it was not an easy game, they however ended on the lead side.

Though they struggled on the first half, he said they re – organised mentally to go into the second half and win the game.

Going through a dog eat dog situation as the final leg of the league Mabena said his team was looking forward to taking on Serowe based Miscellaneous in the next game.

“We have to man up as a team to ensure our relevance in league,” he said.

As new entrants in the premiership league, he said he was happy with the progress that the team made as it was important for them to finish strong to help the team start the next league confidently.

He thanked the team supporters for their patience and the management for doing their best by giving them all they could to sustain the team.

It took a lot of hard work and honesty to beef up the game and collecting relevant points to stay in the game, “And we did all that we could and weare happy at the moment,” he said. ENDS