Rollers trounce hapless Lovers
Kabelo Boranabi | Monday November 30, 2015 11:12
Rollers started like a house on fire taking the game to the visitors. The log leaders went ahead in the seventh minute through Sekhana Koko.
The attacker took two defenders for pace on the left flank, cut in to chip over advancing Lovers’ keeper, Kemmonye Nyangane. Rollers doubled the lead 10 minutes later with Lawrence Majawa’s header from a corner kick. The visitors started to get their usual carpet football, but could not break the Rollers’ defence.
In the 40th minute, Koko found Jerome Ramatlhakwana with a through ball, and the striker finished clinically to extend the lead. With only a minute to half time, Joel Mogorosi put the game beyond Lovers’ reach after the opposition failed to clear a free kick. The attacker had an easier task as he was unmarked at the far post. The teams went to recess with Rollers holding a convincing lead. Six minutes after the break, Carl Finnigan met Tshepo Motlhabankwe’s cross with a diving header to force a superb save from Nyangane, but Rollers’ skipper Maano Ditshupo capitalised from the rebound. A minute later, Koko put in a low cross and Finnigan slotted home to get his second of the season. Lovers got their consolation goal from substitute Doctor Radipampiri, when the striker got a loose ball after Noah Maposa showed some butterfly fingers from a cross.
Rollers coach, Mark Harrison said he was happy with the team’s display but decried that they conceded. “I think we had total control, but lost our rhythm in the last 20 minutes. It is disappointing to have conceded. We could have scored more,” he said.
His opposite number, Lovers’ mentor Onthusitse ‘Chips’ Kootswele blamed tactical indiscipline for his team’s loss.
“We did not play as a team, we played as individuals.
The players did not play according to instructions,” he said.
Rollers: Noah Maposa, Tshepo Motlhabankwe, Simisane Mathumo, Oscar Ncenga, Kaone Van Der Westhuizen, Lawrence Majawa, Maano Ditshupo (Edwin Moalosi), Joel Mogorosi (Kobamelo Kebaikanye), Carl Finnigan, Sekhana Koko, Jerome Ramatlhakwana (Jerome Louis)
Lovers: Kemmonye Nyangane, Onthusitse Tamapo, Kudakwashe Manuwere, Kebaabetswe Kediseng, Solomon Solomon, Thusego Gaodirelwe, Pusoloso Samson (Doctor Radipampiri), Kabo Ikaneng (Thatayaone Kgamanyane), Moathodi Ralesotla, Rentse Keakabetse (Audreen Chisiyanwa), Tumo Keiketlile
Cautions: Kediseng, Kgamanyane
Rollers 6 (Koko 7th, Majawa 17th, Ramatlhakwana 40th, Mogorosi 44th, Ditshupo 51st, Finnigan 52nd)
Lovers 1 (Radipampiri 75th)