National First Division weekend action wrap up
Top three NFD clubs drop points
Posted: 2011-09-12 07:04
Round four of the National First Division saw the top three clubs University of Pretoria, Sivutsa Stars and Thanda Royal Zulu all dropping vital points to lowly placed opponents, while Blackburn Rovers and Vasco da Gama took full advantage with 1-0 wins.
On Friday night at a damp Philippi Stadium, Chippa United grabbed a home point against log leaders AmaTuks in a goalless match where the slippery pitch was a bit unsettling for both teams.
Steve Barker's side did miss a few very good chances but they remain top and unbeaten, unlike Sivutsa Stars who lost their first match, the important Mpumalanga derby 1-0, to last placed Witbank Spurs at Ackerville on Saturday.
Prior to the game, Stars' head coach McDonald Makhubedu was quietly confident but said he didn't want to put pressure on his young players who'd missed numerous scoring opportunities in their last encounter with Bay United.
He watched as Spurs opened the scoring in the 10th minute via Charles Mogashwa but after his star midfielder Mduduzi ‘Bazooka' Nkosi was red carded it signaled the end of the road for the Nelspruit side.
Atlie picked up their third point of the campaign, holding Neil Tovey's Thanda to a 1-1 draw at Sinaba and Rovers are now in second place, with a game in hand after Vincent Khumalo's successful strike against Carara Kicks.
Vasco showed renewed vigor and determination at Seshego with Francois Adams heading the 30th minute winner following a Roberto do Espirito Santo cross which has left Bay United mid-table.
African Warriors picked up their first three-point haul in an ill tempered encounter at Charles Mopeli, downing a nine-man Mpumalanga Black Aces 3-2.
At one point Aces led 2-0 via Marawaan Bantam's penalty and an Edward Williams goal but Warriors bounced back with a Gordon Gilbert own goal, and strikes from Joseph Chikila and Tshepo Rantjanyana.
Aces' Williams and Justice Nozozo saw red in the second period when the home side had a two man advantage for the final 30 minutes.
In Giyani, Dynamos and FC Cape Town played to a 1-1 draw with Joseph Mahlangu opening the scoring for Patrick Malabela's outfit but Mkhanyiseli Siwahla made sure Errol Dicks' team at least went back to the Mother City with a point.
CLICK HERE for the First Division results and table.
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