Black Poison has further consolidated its position at the summit of the Alexandra Northrand Local Football Association (ANLFA) Promotional League after collecting maximum points from a 3–2 ‘poisoning’ of Laz FC.
The match, played at the Altrek Sports Complex, was one of the most exciting matches of the league so far as the game seesawed from one goal post to the other.
The league’s leading marksman and Black Poison’s danger man Nkosingiphile Nzimande was given no space to breathe as Laz coach Lazarus Matloga, who is also the owner of the Lyndhurst-based club, knew his team’s survival from a possible humiliation depended on them keeping the poisonous striker under a tight leash.
And tightly marked he was as he only managed a few scoring opportunities that were well saved by Laz keeper Michael Mlilo. The only consolation for Nzimande was that the second goal netted by Hlohonolofatso Maseko came as an assist from him.
Poison was the first to open the scoring when Nhlakanipho Mazibuko rattled the net to give his side the lead.
But that joy was short-lived as Laz’s Nala Mabaso quickly levelled matters with a thunderous strike that gave Poison keeper Lesego Moabi no chance and both teams settled for a 1–1 scoreline at halftime.
On the resumption, Laz’s Moses Makhafola immediately registered his name on the scoreboard but soon after Nzimande found Maseko who made no mistake in bringing a 2–2 parity to the scoreline.
The ‘spoiler-goal’ of the thrilling match came from the shortest man on the pitch, Mthumeni ‘Shorty’ Mpungose, a strike which Mlilo could have easily handled or parried over the crossbar but fumbled it to give the table-topping side the win.
Poison coach Bruce Buthelezi confidently told Alex News that they were at the summit to stay. With only six matches to go, Buthelezi said his side was ‘home and dry’ and that the remaining matches were nothing but a formality.
“With the calibre of players that I have, I can confidently say that we’re going to win promotion come end of the league season,” he said.
Matloga lamented the winning goal and lambasted his charges for allowing ‘the shortest man on the pitch to score’.
“I am happy we’re now scoring goals and actually gave a quality side like Black Poison a fright and a run for their money,” said Matloga.
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