Rivals clash in Benoni Football Derby
The biggest soccer match in Benoni was played on Saturday.
The second league Benoni Football Derby of the 2018 season took place at Northern Areas on August 11.
As always there was big interest from local football fans whose beloved clubs (either Benoni Northerns or Old Bens) clashed in the Eastern Local Football Association (ELFA) Super League and Super Reserve League fixtures.
The opening match of the afternoon was filled with entertainment as coach Darren ‘Fish’ Lee’s league-leading Benoni Northerns Football Club (BNFC) Super Reserve League XI outfit faced off against coach Dave Clark’s Old Bens team.
Despite wiping the floor with the majority of their opponents this campaign, Lee’s team has not been able to defeat Clark’s Old Bens team in the league.
Northerns lost 2-1 at Currin Park in the reverse league fixture in June and then went down by the same score line on Saturday.
Two excellent strikes from Old Bens’ Daniel Dyson and James Brough saw the visitors take an early 2-0 lead before BNFC striker Andrew Welgemoed netted before half-time.
It would stay 2-1 after the final whistle was blown.
The defeat doesn’t change much for BNFC’s reserve side as they still have a comfortable lead atop the league table.
Meanwhile, on Women’s Day on August 9, both reserve teams advanced to the semi-finals of the ELFA Super Reserve Cup competition.
Bens enjoyed a 2-0 win over Germiston at Currin Park while BNFC advanced to the next round after their opponents Zwide failed to arrive for the scheduled match at Northern Areas.
In Saturday’s battle of the first sides, it was Northerns who would claim sweet revenge following their 3-2 loss in the reverse league fixture at Bens’ Currin Park home back in June.
Saturday’s 2-0 score line in favour of BNFC would hand the bragging rights back over to their arch-rivals.
Northerns’ stand-in goalkeeper Skyeler van den Berg was undoubtedly the Man of the Match.
The shot-stopper pulled off some magnificent saves in the match to deny the Old Bens attackers any chance of scoring.
The BNFC men opened the scoring with a headed goal from central defender Bruce Olivier from a corner before half-time.
Those partisan to Old Bens felt that there had been a foul in the lead up to the goal as well as a missed offside call.
The officials, however, thought otherwise and the goal stood.
In the second half, Skhozi Mgobozi found the back of the net to double the hosts’ advantage.
“It was a good result and I am very happy,” said BNFC Super League coach Jannie van den Berg.
“The kids did well for me and stuck to our structure.
“I thought that Old Bens are the better footballing side, but I also thought our good discipline counted more at the end of the day.
“The game was played in a good spirit, of course, you have your little sporadic outbursts, but it was all controlled and a nice game at the end of the day.”
Old Bens’ first-team coach Raymond Cloete echoed the sentiment that it was a good game of football, but lamented the fact that his players did not have their shooting boots on.
He felt that his side received a few tough calls from the officials.
“Fortunately for Northerns they got the goals that counted which we couldn’t do.”
His side, however, did advance to the semi-finals of the ELFA Super Cup with a 4-1 win over Zwide at Currin Park on August 9.
Their next league fixture sees them take on Olympia at the Italian Club in Bedfordview on August 18 while BNFC will host Linhill Celtic at Northern Areas.
CLICK HERE for a GALLERY of images snapped during the matches.
LISTEN to Logie G’s Weekend Sports Wrap for August 13:
https://soundcloud.com/benoni-city-times/caxton-radio-benoni-logie-g-weekend-sports-wrap-monday-13-august
PREVIOUS ARTICLE:
Local derby ends in good spirits
Follow us on these platforms:
Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.
For news straight to your phone invite us:
WhatsApp: 079 431 2006
Instagram: benonicitytimes.co.za
