01 May 2017

Extension Gunners  and Orapa United failed to maximize points in a BTC Premiership tier at New Lobatse Stadium on Saturday April 29.

In the opening minutes of the first stanza both teams cemented their scoring opportunities, but lack of sharpness upfront let them down.

‘Gunners exchanged neat passes  but failed to find the back of the net before recess.

Orapa United’s Lemogang Maswena came close to what could have broken the deadlock in the 25th minute after Gunners goal minder Katlego Mbisi was thoroughly beaten and but lack of clinical finishing could not help the situation.

At recess, teams were still locked at 0-0. In the 17th minute of the second stanza Kenanao ‘Flo’ Kgetholetsile who was giving Gunners a magnificent shape upfront nearly broke the deadlock with a well calculated grass cutter, but Orapa United’s goal minder Kaelo Joseph was equal to the raid to make a brilliant save.

Gunners’ Gofaone Mmipi’s sweet volley in the 22nd minute of the second half sent his fans who were hungry for a goal on ecstatic mood, but it went past the right bar just by an inch in front of the goal mouth.

The two sides kept playing an open end-to-end attacking game, but on some instances Orapa United applied the cautious approach.

Mmipi was at it again in the 27th minute of the second half, but poor decision making cost him an opportunity to convert, given that he was in a good position instead of being selfish because he had ample space he decided to connect with his team mate who was tightly marked. The match ended in a goalless draw.

However, Gunners’ Interim coach Itumeleng Duiker decried poor finishing by his side, noting they have to work very hard at training to put the situation under control.

He said they tried their best, but they were unlucky as they missed a lot of scoring opportunities, adding they should have buried those chances and killed their opponents.

He expressed optimism that clinical finishing at his side would come up.

Orapa United’s head coach, Madinda Ndlovu expressed contentment about his boys, noting he knew it was going to be a challenge because he was not using regular players at defence, therefore building splitting moves starting from the back was not forthcoming.

He said he could not risk fielding top goal-keeper Mosimanegape Robert because he was not having enough game time and therefore it was going to be a change of the whole make-shift defence.

He said in football there is what we call ‘on-form and off-form’ so he is happy with the performance of his boys. ENDS