Gunners rob Moneybags

YOU had to be at Maglas to believe this incredible story.
FC Platinum blew the chance of going to the top of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League table when they suffered their first defeat at home yesterday.
Had they won or, at least, drawn this match, as everyone in the mining town expected, they could have gone to the summit of the table.
But it was not to be.
Gunners, winless coming into this game, were limping without influential players – midfielder Ashley Rambanapasi and national team left back Qadr Amini who are in South Africa for trials.
Rambanapasi is trying his luck at Platinum Stars while Amini is at Soweto giants Orlando Pirates.
The other player, central defender Richard Kola, was missing in action through injury.
The visitors took the lead through Ismael Lawe, who beat Tafadzwa Dube with a header, in the first minute of the game.
Lawe, scoring his second goal of the season, headed home a cross flighted by Charles Makuruva from the right.
Norman Maroto, who won the Golden Boot in the colours of Gunners before being traded to the Premiership moneybags, nearly equalised soon afterwards.
He capitalised on a rebound only to see his shot cleared from the line by veteran defender David Sengu who then injured himself in the process.
Maroto, who started his first match yesterday under coach Philani Mabhena, then shot wide from a good position just outside the box in the ninth minute.
But Maglas plunged into silence as Gunners doubled their lead in the 13th minute.
Sekete, the hero of the day with his double strike, did justice to a cross from Lawe to head past former Gunners’ ‘keeper Tafadzwa Dube.
It was the first time that the home team had conceded two goals in a space of 13 minutes.
It was also for the first time that captain Zephaniah Ngodzo, Soccer Star of the Year Charles Sibanda and regular scorer Benjamin Marere were made to warm the bench.
It was also a day that FC Platinum struggled in defence and midfield and Gunners were left to enjoy a number of fine moments as if they were at home.
Bekhimpilo Ncube nearly pulled one back for the hosts when he powered a shot, from outside the box, but was inches wide with goalkeeper George Chigova sprawling on the ground in the 23rd minute.
Maroto was presented with another chance in the 40th minute but, once again, came short.
Joel Ngodzo won the ball on the right, went past Ronald Sengu and released a screamer that Chigova punched into the path of Maroto who reacted with a shot that went wide.
Having missed their chances, it was fitting that the hosts should be punished.
And what a beauty it was.
Sekete won the ball in midfield, gained some ground and, on the run, let go a powerful shot that Dube never saw in the 43rd minute.
The scorer rushed straight to his coach Darlington Dodo, and gave him a hug, in wild celebrations as the visitors soaked in their moment of glory.
Gunners, champions two years ago, have had a tough time but they have soldiered on and yesterday they got their first win.
“It feels great scoring a brace. We will never be relegated and people must remember that we are the former champions,” said the 20- year-old Sekete, a former Harare United player.
Having taken a 3-0 lead, Gunners could afford to defend in the second half and not even the introduction of the heavyweights, like Marare and Sibanda, could change the game.
FC Platinum were awarded a penalty, in the 82nd minute, when Moses Muchenje was adjudged to have handled in the box by KweKwe referee Lawrence Magada.
Sibanda, as he has done in all the penalties awarded to the miners, took responsibility and, although he sent the goalkeeper the wrong way, his effort lacked direction and rolled wide.
Still the hosts kept the fight and Marere was unlucky his powerful shot in the 86th minute, after meeting a cross from Aleck Marime, crashed against the crossbar.
It was certainly not their day.
Coach Mabhena said he took full responsibility for the result.
“You have to expect everything in football, a draw, a loss and a win. It was not just our day today as we even failed to score a penalty. That is what happens if it is not your day.
“The players that I fielded were performing very well at training and it was a decision we made as a team to rest some players.
“Benjie (Marere) suffered a knock at training and the players we fielded are the ones we thought were capable of bringing us the result.
“We must also remember that games in hand are not games won,” he said.
Dodo was ecstatic.
“I am delighted to have won this afternoon. We had a solid defence and every department played very well with the strikers playing well up-front. The team is very good and is made up of young players and I know people might be surprised why we are at the bottom.
“This is how we have been playing but we were just unfortunate not to win,” said Dodo.
Teams
FC Platinum
T Dube, K Banda, G Dondo, L Zvasiya, B Ncube, T Kamusoko(C Sibanda 46th ), M Mupera, N Togara, D Ngoma(A Marime 57th), N Maroto, J Ngodzo (B Marere 46th )
Gunners
G Chigova, N Ziwiwi, A Chaka, C Makuruva, I Lawe (L Tsipa 70th ), W Kamudyariwa, E Maleka, H Zvirekwi, C Sekete(M Muchenje 77th ), D Sengu, R Sengu.