Rollers Regain Top Spot

By Tshepo Molwane
Staff Writer | Monday February 8, 2010 00:00

 

The win ensured that Mapalastina complete a double over the visitors after beating them by the same score in the first round.  Rollers slipped to second spot for 24 hours after their main title rivals Mochudi Centre Chiefs beat Killer Giants on Friday night at UB Stadium. Mapalastina now have 41 points from 17 games with Chiefs in second spot with 39 points from the same number of games. On Saturday, Rollers seemed to be out to bury their opponents and regain the league leadership. Mapalatina scored the first goal as early as the fifth minute through captain Joel '16' Mogorosi who made a good run on the right. Boteti goalkeeper Chamu Madamombe could have done better to stop the ball from going in but he was let down by poor positioning. 

While the visitors were still trying to settle in the game, Rollers increased the score when Tebogo Mothusi tapped home from close range after a well timed cross from Onalethata Tshekiso in the 26th minute.  The Orapa-based side hardly created chances in the game and their passes hardly reached their destination. Four minutes from the break, Tshekiso made a good run on the left, sold a dummy and riffled the ball into top corner to give Rollers a 3-0 lead at half-time.

In the second half, Mapalastina continued pressing forward and were rewarded immediately in the 46th minute when referee Tebogo Ramocha awarded them a penalty which was easily slotted home by Terrence Mandaza. Mapalastina completed the rout in the 69th minute when Mandaza capitalised on schoolboy defending by Boteti to make it 5-0.

Despite scoring five goals, Mapalastina failed to stamp their authority in the game. Things only became better after the introduction of Powell Abednico and Kaone Molefe. The duo did well to retain possession in the midfield and dished out defence-splitting passes. Goalkeeper Kabelo Dambe had a quiet day in office as he was never tested.  Rollers' head coach Rahman Gumbo praised his players saying they responded well after their traumatising defeat to Chiefs last weekend. The Zimbabwean coach said that the future looks bright for his side at the critical stage of the league. 'After scoring five goals, I let the players enjoy themselves. They deserved it after the loss to Chiefs. Our focus now changes to the Coke Cup,' said Gumbo. Rollers visit Miscellaneous in Serowe on Sunday in the last 16 stage of the country's premier knock-out competition.

Interestingly, Boteti head coach Kenneth Mogae said that despite losing by the heavy margin, there was nothing to write home about Rollers.

'It will be wrong to say that Rollers are a super side because they failed to outclass us though they scored five goals. It is only that we failed to assert ourselves in this game. I still have confidence in my team and we will not relegate at the end of the season,' Mogae told Monitor Sport.  In the second game played in Molepolole, visiting Jwaneng Comets eased their relegation worries when they beat Notwane 2-1. The win took Comets to the 11th spot on the log. In Lobatse, another struggling side BMC registered their first win under the tutelage of Mike Sithole when they beat Nico United 4-1.

The win did not help Ezinkomo as they still remain rooted at the bottom of the log. Before BMC-Nico game in Lobatse, Police XI narrowly beat visiting TAFIC 2-1. ECCO City Greens collected maximum points at home by beating Extension Gunners 2-1.