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NewsDay

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No stopping for Gunners

Sport
GUNNERS maintained their top spot on the World Navi Zifa Northern Region Division One football league after defeating visiting ZRP Morris at Lafarge Stadium yesterday.

GUNNERS . . . . . (0) 1 ZRP MORRIS . . . . . 0 HENRY MHARA

GUNNERS maintained their top spot on the World Navi Zifa Northern Region Division One football league after defeating visiting ZRP Morris at Lafarge Stadium yesterday.

Former Under-17 international McDonald Motsi scored the all-important goal on 79th minute to keep his side one point clear of second-placed Flame Lily on the log table.

Lily beat Royal Classic 1-0 away to keep pressure on the log leaders with 12 games still to play.

At Larfage, there was a fraught start to the match, watched by Warriors striker Edward Sadomba, as both sides failed to find their rhythm, but it was the home side who had the first real chance of the game after they were awarded a freekick just outside the box.

Leftback Jonah Chitereki took responsibility, but his shot could not go beyond the wall and the follow up shot from Tendai Huwa was tipped over by the goalkeeper Innocent Mangezi.

Moses Demera wasted the next opportunity from the resultant corner kick when he headed over after he had managed to rise clear.

Another headed opportunity went begging on 24th minute when the lurking Charles Makuruva failed to find the back of the net from a very good position.

Gunners were almost punished immediately when a bouncing ball beat the defenders and put Frank Dondo clear on goal, but the striker’s shot from point blank was smartly saved by goalkeeper Prosper Chigumba.

It was truly a glorious opportunity wasted.

Gunners had a bright start to the second half as they pegged back the police side in their own half, but despite having the lion’s share of the ball, they could not fashion any clear cut chance.

With numbers forward, the home side was almost caught on the break on the hour mark when a high ball from the back freed Dondo whose square pass fell just shot of finding Stephen Sheshe who was waiting to pounce.

Both teams increased the tempo in the last 20 minutes and the breakthrough came when Motsi bundled home from inside a crowded box following a long throw in.

ZRP coached by John “Toto” Ncube protested against the awarding of the goal as they felt their goalkeeper was impeded in the build-up.

The visitors threw everything forward in the last few minutes, but Gunners managed to hold on for the precious points.