By Chris Totobela
Makhanda has been the host of double headers lately. This past weekend was no different as a handful of supporters made their way to Rhodes University’s King’s field to witness another doubleheader on show.
First up in the lunchtime kick-off, debutants Young Eagles hosted Port Alfred-based Mighty Forest in an exciting clash. Eagles made their intentions very clear from the first whistle. The visitors absorbed a lot of pressure while nearly catching the Eagles on the counterattack several times but failed to convert.
Eagles took the lead in the 12th minute after Forest’s defence was caught ball-watching during a corner kick that found Olwethu Flek unmarked in the near post and tapped home the opener that Eagles took to the halftime break.
The second half saw both teams trying to gain control of proceedings. In the 47th minute, the small crowd witnessed a leg-breaking tackle dished out by the visiting team, but the referee chickened out and only produced a caution instead of sending the culprit off for an early shower.
Eagles’ defence went to sleep and got punished in the 52nd minute, and after being so wasteful in front of goals, Lubabalo Papu finally scored in the 79th minute to give them the lead. The home side took home the maximum points while steering their ship away from the dreaded relegation zone.
In the second game, City Pirates took on United Eleven from Bathurst, one of the title contenders. Both teams started like a house on fire, throwing everything at each other, but they were both guilty of not using the chances they created. The game had to be halted midway through the first half, and the teams were sent back to their changing rooms after severe thunder and lightning seemed dangerous.
Teams waited for about 15 minutes before being recalled to the field.
This stop-and-go seemed to affect both teams’ rhythm as they were once again sent back to their change rooms and called back to the field again to finish the first half.
The second half started the same way as the first, and both teams made some useful changes, with City Pirates bringing on their super-sub, Aphelele Tyelbooi. He immediately got into the thick of things but was guilty of being indecisive when it mattered most. He had several opportunities in a short space of time but failed to make use of all of them.
United created clear chances of their own but failed to make them count. They also missed a sitter in the game’s dying moments when their number 10, who had a great game, chose to pass the ball, with only the keeper to beat, deciding to pass on the responsibility to another player who was quickly closed down.
This was an end-to-end encounter with both teams fancying their chances, and the quality of football displayed in this game was superb. Pirates showed a lot of improvement, especially in fitness, and were unlucky not to walk away with maximum points.
This was an exciting, pulsating and entertaining goalless draw.
