Northerns can’t hang on, Bens stay second
A win for Old Bens, a late defeat for Benoni Northerns in the Super League.
Benoni Northerns Football Club’s (BNFC) Eastern Local Football Association (ELFA) Super League and Super Reserve League sides welcomed perennially strong Randburg to Northern Areas for their first home matches of the season on April 7.
BNFC striker Kwanda Sokutu opened the scoring for the hosts to give them a 1-0 lead at the half-time break over last year’s league winners.
Randburg found an equaliser after the break, but Sokutu again gave the men in red the lead at 2-1.
In the dying embers of the clash, the defending champions showed why they are the reigning champs by converting a chance to get all three points.
Northerns were left scratching their heads as to how they let it slip.
BNFC first team coach Jannie van den Berg said that he was not unhappy with the defeat.
“It was a great game of football,” he said.
“Randburg had one more chance than us and converted it late on.
“My guys showed good attitude and applied themselves well.”
With Olympia on the horizon for van den Berg’s men this Saturday, the coach knows that things will not get any easier in the league.
“All the games are proving to be tough already.
“Everyone is picking up their game and playing well.”
That match and the reserve team clash will take place at Northerns on April 14.
The reserves start at 1.45pm followed by the first team fixture at 3.30pm.
• Meanwhile, a few kilometres up the road at Currin Park, Old Bens Football Club enjoyed a 3-1 win over Bedfordview.
Coach Raymond Cloete’s men surprisingly found themselves 1-0 down within the first eight minutes after some sloppy play at the back, but they bounced back to win 3-1.
Their goals came from striker Themba Vilakazi and defender Sizwe Maloka.The club’s reserves romped to a 4-1 victory in the preceding match. They will travel to the Huntersfield Stadium in Katlehong on April 14 for a clash against an always unpredictable Zwide.
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