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Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
FORMER Quelaton and Chicken Inn FC midfielder Makhosi Ncube scored a brace for Bulawayo City as they ran riot over Mpumalanga United at Luveve Stadium on Saturday.
Bulawayo City routed the Hwange-based side 4-0 in the Southern Region Soccer League match.
Trevor Ndlovu and Terrence Majo chipped in with a goal each to propel City to the big win, which shot them to the top of the table for the first time this season.
The municipality sponsored club dethroned ZPC Hwange at the summit. ZPC Hwange had topped the table for six weeks but now lie third behind City and Bulawayo Chiefs despite being tied on 26 points.
The two Bulawayo rivals have better goal difference.
It remains to be seen whether ambitious City, who are targeting promotion into the PSL in their maiden season in the First Division, can maintain top spot to the end.
“We’re not reading much into being at the top of the table. What’s important is maintaining consistency. There’s no time to relax because this race is a marathon and if we lose focus, we’ll see ourselves sliding down to the relegation zone. So what we’ve to do is to take each game as it comes and see how it goes,” said City coach Philani “Beefy” Ncube.
City face a stern test in their next encounter — a Bulawayo derby against Chiefs.
A 10-man Chiefs laboured to a 2-1 victory against Bantu Rovers in an exciting game played at Fairbridge. Kundishora Chakanyuka scored a brace for Chiefs, to take his June tally to three goals.
Tshidzani Malaba scored Rovers’ only goal.
The match was, however, marred by a leg break challenge that effectively ended Rovers’ utility player Bekithemba “Marabha” Ngwenya’s career.
Brian Chikwenya was shown a straight red card for the crude tackle that broke Ngwenya’s left leg.
Yesterday the entire Chiefs’ squad paid Ngwenya a visit at the United Bulawayo Hospitals.
Chiefs pledged to assist Ngwenya.
“As a club we’ll meet soon and engage the player to see how best we can assist him. We understand the gravity of the injury and we wish him a speedy recovery,” said Thulani “Thuts” Sibanda, Bulawayo Chiefs’ coach.
Sibanda said he is counselling his players to refrain from tough tackles.
“That was a mistake but I think as coaches we also have a duty to remind footballers that they must be careful whenever going for challenges. It’s not nice to see someone’s career cut short because of such injuries,” he said.
In other games, ZPC Hwange played a goalless draw against Casmyn at Turk Mine.
The electricity generators remain the only unbeaten side in the league after 12 games, with seven wins and five draws.
Makomo beat Nust 1-0 at Luveve Stadium, with Vitalis Ncube scoring the solitary goal.
Southern Region Soccer League results
Saturday: Bulawayo City 4-0 Mpumalanga, Nust 0-1 Makomo, Trumus 1-1 Hwange Juniors, Amagagasi 0-0 Old Nic Mine, Indlovu Iyanyathela 0-0 Black Boots, Ntabazinduna 1-1 Technosphere, Bulawayo Chiefs 2-1 Bantu Rovers, Casmyn 0-0 ZPC Hwange
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