adminonly their second win of the season at the expense of coachless Tripple B at the Colliery yesterday.
The match started 23 minutes late as Tripple B were found on the wrong side of a new law which requires all coaches and technical staff members from the Premier League to Division Three to have a Zifa licence for them to be allowed to sit on the bench.
According to the match commissioner Jennifer Zulu, Tripple B did not have the new licences or proof that they had made the required payment for the licences.
“The Tripple B officials caused this delay as they did not have the required documents. At one time during the discussions, they contradicted themselves by saying they had just seen the memo from the Zifa chief executive Mr Jonathan Mashingaidze at the stadium and at the same time claiming they paid but did not bring the proof of payment.
“At the end of the day we stood our ground and followed what was laid down in black and white by the football authorities,” she said.
That meant coach Friday Phiri could not sit on the bench and substitute goalkeeper Cuthbert Chigwandaza had to bark instructions from the bench. Just a minute into the game the visitors thought they had found the important breakthrough when Simon Maengeni hit the back of the nets but his effort was ruled out for offside by stocky referee Mlindeli Ndebele.
The visitors continued to impress and were duly rewarded in the ninth minute when Alick Marime blasted home from a crowed box.
Their joy was however shortlived as the coalminers equalised two minutes later through the left boot of Nkosana Siwela. Tafara Chese put Hwange ahead on the stroke of half time with a rather harmless looking effort from outside the box which deceived goalkeeper Tapiwa Mafunga.
Captain Gerald Ndlovu then doubled the hosts’ advantage when he converted from the penalty spot after Farai Vimisai was tripped inside the box by defender Ephraim Mwinga as he went for the kill. That penalty conversion took the stuffing out of the visitors’ game as the coalminers started to play with their tails up and was only let down by poor finishing by the likes of Oscar Lungu and Chese.
“I am very happy with the result today and it is my hope that it will be the start of better things to come.” said Njovu. Phiri said it was time his boys started getting the points.
“We did not play well today and I think the strike action by the team earlier in the week also contributed to the poor show though I am not using that as an excuse.
“We need to start picking up points because it’s not looking good.”
Teams
Hwange
T Sibanda; E Chipeta; M Mungadze; G Ndlovu; D Boriwondo; A Tshuma; T Chese; O Lungu(P Mpelele70th min);N Siwela; G Zulu(E Rusike 83th min); F Vimisai
Tripple B
T Mafunga; O Lungu; T Mkondiwa; S Dube; E Mwinga; R Pavari(A Makiwa55th min); A Kazembe; L Chiwaridzo; A Marime;T Mamvura; S Maengeni.
Online Reporter