By Chris Totobela
On Saturday, 10 February, a decent crowd made their way to Rhodes University’s Kings field for a Hollywood Bets regional league doubleheader. City Pirates locked horns with the Port Alfred-based Young Pirates in the lunchtime kick-off. Both teams started the game at pedestrian pace but quickly changed into another gear as both of them were looking for an early goal.
City’s defence sat very deep and attracted opponents closer to their goal mouth. Young Pirates took the lead in the 10th minute after City’s defence was found in sixes and sevens, and the Young Pirates’ attacker miskicked the ball but still found the back of the net. City Pirates did not have a single shot at goals in the first half, and that summed up their performance in the first half.
Young Pirates took their lead to the halftime break. The home side came out guns blazing in the second half and made a couple of changes trying to influence the game into their favour and that paid off in the hour mark as Nkululeko Goerge equalised. City played in patches and forced Young Pirates goalminder to come up with a breathtaking save in the 68th minute when he flicked the ball over the crossbar.
City’s defence was caught with a very quick counterattack that once again found them napping as an unmarked Young Pirates’ attacker curled the ball home to give the visitors the lead in the 70th minute. City was guilty of not being decisive in the last third of the field, and they constantly gave the ball away in midfield. They were also not quick enough in transition, which allowed their opponents to regroup.
The final whistle sounded, and the visitors took all the maximum points on offer. The home side did not play their normal game, which they are best known for, and looked a bit unfit and out of ideas at times. It was not a difficult game and they could have won it quite comfortably had they taken the few chances they created in this game.
Jacaranda Aces hosted the on-form Port Alfred-based Mighty Forest, who came to this game on the back of good results in the late afternoon kick-off. Aces made their intentions very clear from the first whistle. They had their opponents against the ropes for the better part of the game but failed to punish them.
The game ended in a three-all draw. Athenkosi “Ninisa” Mthana, Sive ” Mavesta” Seyisi, and Sixolile “Sugar” Koliti found the back of the net for the home side.
