02 Apr 2017

Sharps Shooting Stars moved a step closer to automatic promotion to the Premier League after beating ten-men Uniao Flamingo Santos 1-0 in a feisty top of the table Debswana First Division South encounter .

Substitute Bonolo Majoni applied a brilliant finish to a Letlhogonolo Chenjela square ball to give Sharps an 82nd minute victory at Sharps ground.

Sharps opened a five points lead over second-placed Santos with 42 points from 19 matches following the victory and need two more victories from the last three matches to seal promotion to top flight football for the first time in their history.

The entertaining match got off to a pacey start with Bosa Mokgweetsi testing Sharps goalkeeper Richard Musheke with a long range strike while Monageng Thaele drew a good save from Lucas Mogotsi at the other end. Modise Sifo collected a pass from Mokgweetsi behind the Sharps defence in the sixth minute but missed the target with a low shot.

Santos was the more enterprising team in the first half with the combination between Mokgweetsi, Eric Molefi, Tshepo Mbulawa and Kagiso Medupe causing many troubles for the home defence.

Mokgweetsi scooped an inviting opportunity over the posts after escaping from centre-back Keleagetse Mogomotsi.

One of the few opportunities by the hosts saw Moemedi Moatlhaping miss the target with a header late in the first half.

Santos continued searching for a goal in the second half, knowing that victory would put them in pole position in the battle for automatic promotion, and Molefi came close to opening the scoring with a thunderbolt but was thwarted by a spectacular save from Musheke.

However, they were dealt a crushing blow when centre-back Thato Seagateng was dismissed midway through the second half for elbowing Thaele.

Sharps made their numerical advantage count as Majoni fired home from close range after a square ball from Chenjela caught the Santos defence napping.

Musheke pulled off two late saves from Mokgweetsi and Lemogang Kabo to deny Santos an equaliser.

Sharps assistant coach Davies Kopi said his team wanted a win more than Santos in order to strengthen their hold on automatic promotion position. "We needed a win at all costs and we no longer feel the pressure because we are five points ahead of them now.

However, the battle is not over yet and we are going to plan for our next match against Matebejane. We are going to take all our remaining games very seriously," Kopi said.

Santos coach Kgosietsile Mampori on the other hand explained that the loss was a costly one for his team: "We wanted to win the game and we gave it our best effort, but it didn't work out at the end of the day.

These were the points we needed the most because we had an opportunity to climb above Sharps, but congratulations to them they did their assignment," Mampori said.

Meanwhile, Skoon Boys secured their first victory of the campaign by beating Mogoditshane Fighters 2-1 on Saturday.

Other results: Mochudi Rovers 2-1 Black Peril, Modipane United 2-1 Matebejane, Notwane 2-1 Lesirane City, Prisons XI 2-0 Letlapeng. ENDS