Bantu Rovers……(0)1 Shabanie Mine…..(2)3
Visiting Shabanie Mine kept alive their chances of surviving the chop at the end of the season with a smash and grab victory over log anchors Bantu Rovers in a Castle Premiership encounter at Luveve Stadium yesterday.
BY SAKHELENI NXUMALO
A first half brace from Wellington Taderera and an Admire Dzumbunu strike late in the second half proved enough for the Zvishavane-based outfit to condemn a battling Tshintsha Guluva to their 20th loss of the season.
The hosts got their consolation from veteran Tapiwa Kumbuyani, who is a enjoying a new lease of life playing as a central midfielder.
Yesterday’s victory left Shabanie Mine head coach Takesure Chiragwi with mixed emotions, as he felt his charges were not on their best form despite picking maximum points.
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“We are grateful in terms of collecting maximum points away from home but in terms of performance we did not play like we did in our last game or in some of our previous matches,” Chiragwi said.
“Sometimes it is important to win, even when playing badly, and we are adding points so that we run away from relegation and we will try to win our remaining games so that we stay afloat,” he added.
Rovers, who gave 15-year-old midfielder Sibusiso Moyo his first Premiership start after the youngster impressed in his second appearance as a substitute in a midweek encounter against Highlanders, twice conceded against the run of play in the first half with Taderera finishing off counter attacking moves on 37 and 44 minutes.
The hosts dominated proceedings after the break following the introduction of 16-year-old Nkosilathi “Skuta” Mpofu, who replaced Moyo on 46 minutes, and eventually pulled one back on 65 minutes when Kumbuyani’s flashing header off a Nyasha Garayi cross beat Shabanie Mine keeper Petros Moyo all systems out.
That goal served as a wake-up call for the visitors who quickly restored their two goal cushion through Dzumbunu who struck from close range on 70 minutes following some hesitant defending from the home side’s defence.
Teams:
Bantu Rovers
E Muuya, K Dzingwe, N Garayi, S Nyahwa, D Ndlovu, T Kumbuyani, S Moyo (N Mpofu 46), N Papias, M Dube (B Ncube 78), G Bharibhari, R Masuku (A Chikwira 87).
Shabanie Mine
P Moyo, B Mukundu, A Dzumbunu, N Mpofu, W Mapfumo, T Mavhunga, T Ajana (B Mtigo 74), F Mupasiri (W Mupasiri 66), T Chimoyo,T Mupumha (T Dhlakama 81), W Taderera.