ANOTHER SETBACK FOR FC PLATINUM

Hwange Correspondent

Hwange……………………………………………….(2) 2

FC Platinum………………………………………….(2) 2

IT appears the challengers are in a hurry to ensure Simba Bhora win the league championship at the earliest possible opportunity.

A day after Ngezi Platinum lost, FC Platinum dropped two points at the Colliery yesterday,

Hwange showed they are prepared to fight to the last drop of their blood in their quest to remain part of the Castle Lager Premier league matrix next year.

The coalminers forced a share of the points against the former champions.

The platinum miners started brightly and stunned the home fans by racing into the lead after only three minutes through midfielder Shepherd Mhlanga.

It could have been worse for Chipangano five minutes later as Devine Mhindirira was allowed acres of space inside the Hwange box but he shot tamely into the hands of goalkeeper Takabva Mawaya.

The coalminers only showed some life on the quarter hour mark when Marcelline Mlilo came at the end of a teasing Prosper Mathe cross but the youngster directed his effort over the bar.

FC Platinum continued to dictate pace with some crisp and eye-catching passing football and it was no surprise as they raced into a 2 -0 lead in the 26th minute.

Panashe Mutimbanyoka scored the goal.

But to their credit, Hwange started fighting back and their fightback kicked into motion on the half-hour mark when veteran striker Dominic Chungwa outpaced FC Platinum’s Mbongeni Ndlovu to hammer home past a badly exposed Wallace Magalane.

Five minutes from the breather, the pressure paid off as Magalane’s attempted clearance, under pressure, ricocheted off Gadzikwa into the back of the nets.

In the dying stages, Chungwa fluffed a golden opportunity as he came face-to-face with Magalane but messed up his chance.

“Credit to the boys for the fight and character to claw back from two goals down,” said Hwange coach Rodwell Dhlakama.

“We had a bad start by any stretch of imagination but we worked on amending the early mistakes and with a bit of precision we could have won the match. We will continue fighting to the end,” said Dhlakama.