The first ELFA Super League encounter of 2016 between long-time local rivals Benoni Northerns Football Club and Old Bens Football Club always draws the spectators and, not for the first time, earned a mention on Morehill resident Duran Collett’s 5FM morning sports announcements the day before.
It would be the host team, Benoni Northerns, who claimed Derby Day bragging rights with a 1-0 victory to climb above their near neighbours by just two points into third place on the Super League log.
Northerns’ left full-back Keegan Frawley’s early first-half strike caught Old Bens’ defensive structures napping to convert the goal past Bens’ goalkeeper and skipper Dale Skinner that would ultimately secure all three points for the men in the red jerseys in what was a highly entertaining spectacle of club football.
It is not that coach Raymond Cloete’s Old Bens XI did not have their chances to score either.
The team had a well-converted strike from midfielder Ludick Malele disallowed for offside by the assistant referee late into the first stanza which sent the Northerns side into the break with the upper-hand.
Both teams would get their opportunities in the second-half as both midfields put in a strong and excellent showcase of possession and passing.
Both had equally good one-on-one opportunities with the respective opposition goalkeepers, too, which could have been converted, including a break from young midfielder Kwanda Sokotu which was cleared off the line by a Bens defender.
Old Bens attacker Percy Visagie had arguably the best opportunity to find a late equaliser when Lesiba Modau laid up what should have been a simple tap-in, but the former blazed the ball over Colte Smit’s upright, culminating in disbelief from his teammates and sarcastic jeers from the Northerns supporters in the crowd.
Visagie nearly made up for his miss right at the death with a well-struck curling free kick effort that just soared over the near post, but skipper Wade Marshall’s Northerns side would hold on to get the win.
His coach Jannie van den Berg told the City Times the team can breathe a little easier after the good result.
“We are still a relatively young side, but we had a good game plan and the guys stuck to their guns well.
“Old Bens is one of, if not, the best sides we have played so far this season and they played extremely good football at times,” said the coach.
“The winning result has created a stronger self-belief and certainly upped our confidence heading into future matches.”
Van den Berg added things can only get better for his chargers after the derby win while Old Bens’ coach Raymond Cloete had no sour grapes with the result.
“We had our chances and didn’t take them,” he said.
“One or two big decisions did not go our way, but we can’t cry about that now.”
He said the Bens players were disappointed, but determined to get back to winning ways in the league.
“We still have 17 matches to play and Northerns still have to come to Old Bens,” added Cloete.
“I gave Jannie a ring after the game and we had a good chat afterwards – there are no animosities.”
Cloete’s side will be aiming to find their form again in the Super League when they host a struggling Boksburg at Currin Park on Saturday, May 28, while van den Berg’s team will play Olympia away on the same day in Bedfordview.
The reverse Benoni Derby is scheduled to take place on Saturday, August 27.
