Rollers go top with TAFIC win
Kabelo Boranabi | Thursday February 20, 2020 11:47
The fixture was initially scheduled for last December, but was postponed to last night after a technical failure on the floodlights at the Royal Aria Stadium.
The fixture has always lived up to its billing, as two years ago it featured a hot slap on Edwin Moalosi by the then TAFIC defender, Samuel Phiri while this time around it was hyped up on social media after a series of 'love letters' between the two clubs. However, Popa did not take the humour on the field, as they got on the forefront early on, Tlhalefo Molebatsi nodded home Molaosi's cross on the sixth minute. Popa controlled proceedings that evening until the 40th minute when Batisani Josiah tapped in from close range to level the scores. Rollers were ahead once again three minutes, Motsholetsi Sikele got at end of Molebatsi's cross to give Rollers the lead into the break.
TAFIC looked a better side in the early moments of the second half but nothing materialised. Molebatsi then doubled Rollers' lead with a curled effort on the hour mark. It was 4-1 just 10 minutes before time, with substitute Lemponye Tshireletso capitalising from poor marking and slotted home from inside the box, as Rollers bagged the vital points on the evening. The win moves Rollers to the top with 40 pints, but level with second placed Orapa United while TAFIC remain of the 14th relegation position with 15 points.
'I am very pleased with the performance of the players, we had to maintain consistency from the game at the weekend. We were hungry to get the three points today; I am very pleased with that. It is nice to move to this position at the moment, we just need to recover well and stay focused now,' Rollers' coach Frank Nuttall said after the game. His counterpart, TAFIC's Stanley Mwaanga bemoaned a poor second half display by his side. 'The second half we were poor. We lost a lot of possession in the midfield and upfront we did not create as many chances, we failed to stop Rollers and we paid the price,' he said. Next on Rollers' menu is a derby fixture against crosstown rivals Gaborone United while TAFIC face bottom placed Miscellaneous.