adminWith the three minutes of added time almost up, Bosso won a free kick at the edge of the Hwange box which was quickly taken by Mambare who had realised that the host defence was completely offguard.
He directed his shot into the near post past a diving Timothy Sibanda to leave the black and white army of travelling Bosso supporters in delirium.
The Hwange technical team would have none of it as it mobbed referee Hardley Ndazi claiming that Mambare had not taken the free kick in a proper way.
The fracas led to the sending off of assistant coach Mebelo Njekwa as the coaches and the home fans seethed with fury over the late goal.
Team manager Tennant Chilumba and coach Nation Dube both declined to comment as matters threatened to boil over in the rising tensions after the final whistle.
Chilumba’s fellow countryman Kelvin Kaindu was however on cloud nine as he gave a post match interview which came in the midst of wild celebrations by the Bosso fans who stormed the pitch in a frenzy of delight.
“It was a good game for us though it was unfortunate that the home team employed delaying tactics during the entire game. It was a sweet thing to win at the end of the day,” said the soft speaking gaffer, spotting a T-shirt inscribed “It shall be well” at the back.
Certainly it looks well for him but it’s a sad story for Chilumba and his lieutenants who have now gone for seven games with only two points from two draws to show for their efforts.
Asked for a comment, the match referee Ndazi was adamant the goal was genuine.
“When you give a free kick the benefiting team can take it quickly and that is what happened in that instance,” he said as the match officials waited for sanity to prevail before they made their way out of the stadium.
Football is cruel at times as the coalminers deserved at least a point for their determined play, which, however, counted for nothing after the bitterly contested late goal.
Away from the drama, which came at the end, it was the home team, under pressure to deliver, who had better opportunities especially in the opening half.
In the fourth minute Tawanda Mareya blazed over the bar from close range after he had benefited from a clever chest down by midfield playmaker Farai Vimisai.
He was to shake his head in disbelief four minutes later as his effort at goal crashed against the crossbar and landed in the open arms of Bosso goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda.
Bosso came out of their shell in the 12th minute when defender Atlast Musasa embarked on a mazy run on the right flank before sending in a delicate cross which was completely missed by an out of form Bhekimpilo Ncube as he attempted to ghost in with a header.
The visitors then started to show why they are true championship material when they again knocked on the Hwange door, only for Simon Munawa to miss from close range after being cleverly fed by goal scorer Mambare.
The coalminers hit back in the 21st minute with a deadly raid involving Vimisai and Francisco Zekumbawire but it ended with a rushed and disappointing effort from the latter.
Mambare continued to shine in the middle of the park but his passes found the dreadlocked Bosso forward Ncube on a picnic.
He was justifiably dragged off for Beavan Chikaka in the 46th minute.
The home fans jumped in the air 10 minutes from the breather only to watch in utter disbelief as Daniel Kamunenga’s low shot fly past the left upright with Sibanda diving in vain.
The hosts were not done and in the 38th minute the vocal Highlanders fans had their hearts in their mouths as Winston Mhango’s curling free kick grazed some paint off the right upright post.
Then came the coalminers’ best chance of the afternoon on the stroke of halftime when Vimisai came face to face with Sibanda who did well to dive to his left to smother the attacking midfielder’s effort.
Hwange came back from the breather with guns blazing but the goal proved elusive.
Highlanders then tilted the game in their favour with some inspired substitution which saw Peter “Rio” Moyo coming in for Milton Ncube (62nd minute) and Heritein Masuku replacing Bruce Kangwa (72th minute).
The two added firepower into the visitors attack which was now concentrated on the right flank.
Not to be outdone Chilumba also threw in the robust Tongai Mamina for Kamunenga in the 65th minute, a wise move also as Mamina began harassing the Bosso rearguard.
Masuku and Moyo had combined in a deadly manner before the latter hit the side netting on the stroke of fulltime before the world collapsed for Hwange deep into injury time after the Mambare goal.
Things are not looking good for Hwange, who are now in the murky waters of relegation and the earlier they pull up their socks, the better for the soccer crazy Hwange community who support their team religiously.
Teams
Hwange: T Sibanda; A Katebe; G Ndlovu; M Mungadze; D Boriwondo; O Mpofu; F Vimisai(M Longwe 75th min); D Kamunenga (T Mamina 65th min); W Mhango; T Mareya; F Zekumbawire.
Highlanders: A Sibanda; E Mudzingwa; B Kangwa (H Masuku72th min); M Mambare; M Maphosa; I Mapuranga; S Munawa; A Musasa; B Ncube (B Chikaka 46th min); M Ncube (P Moyo 62nd min); O Zibande.
Online Reporter