16 May 2016

 Ecco City Greens defender, Walter Moyo, scored an injury time own goal to ensure Rolling Boys’ promotion to the beMobile Premiership.

The Gaborone side sealed their promotion via a 3-1 playoffs’ second leg victory in Molepolole on Saturday.

Boys won the tie 4-3 on aggregate having lost the first leg encounter 2-1 in Francistown the previous weekend. 

The club would play top flight football next season for the first time in its history.

The two teams played entertaining football in the first half and scored three quick goals.

Kaone Molefe drove in a fourth minute freekick off the gloves of Ecco goalkeeper Innocent Selebogo to give Rolling Boys the lead. Selebogo had been penalised for handling the ball outside his 18-yard area.

Mamoja Diskie’ striker, Lovers Mofokeng stole behind the napping Rolling Boys centre-backs and headed a cross past goalkeeper Joseph Gojamang to level matters six minutes later.

However, the hosts restored their lead three minutes later when veteran attacker Denis Kaelo stroke an exquisite finish into the bottom corner after Kago Nfila laid a pass to him. 

Kaelo could have extended the lead eight minutes later but hesitated to release the ball after evading a challenge from Selebogo. 

The hosts were leading 2-1 at recess and level 3-3 on aggregate.

The two teams opted for a cautious approach in the second half and consequently struggled to create clear-cut scoring opportunities. 

Rolling Boys coach, Thaloba Nthaga introduced Galefetoge ‘Zinto’ Kenaope and Kgaodi ‘Deco’ Odirile late in the second half and the two attackers added more impetus into their search for a winning goal.

That decisive goal arrived under fortunate circumstances in injury time. A neat move between Molefe and Kenaope resulted with the latter delivering a low cross into the Ecco goalmouth and the panicking Moyo scored in his own net. 

Commenting after the match, Nthaga said his players executed their game plan well. 

“It was a difficult game because we were trailing from the first leg. But we had a game plan which was to get an early goal. We managed to get an early goal and I think it settled the nerves. Even after conceding the equaliser we were still able to go forward and get the next goal.

The second half was tight and it was important for us to make sure that we did not to concede another goal. Luckily for us we managed to get the third goal,” Nthaga said.

He said he brought in a number of new players to beef up the team at the beginning of the season and that contributed to Rolling Boys gaining promotion.

It is back to a second consecutive season in the first division north league for coach Texan Phiri and his unlucky Mamoja Diskie players. 

The 2006/7 premier league champions spent eleven seasons in the top flight before getting relegated last year. ENDS