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VISITING Harare side, Police Defenders, reduced Mutare Sports Club to amateurs on their home turf by walloping them 20-7 last Saturday.
The Northern top-flight league second round match saw a depleted Mutare Shumbas side struggling throughout the match.
The visitors put the first point on the board in the 15th minute through flank, Newhope Garufu, while scrumhalf, Takudzwa Mutonhori kicked through the conversion to secure a 7-0 lead.
In the 30th minute, Mutonhori kicked through a penalty conversion ending the first half 10-0.
The Mutare Shumbas struggled to gain momentum in the first half and a defensive blander cost them dearly in the 57th minute leading to a second try by captain, Jonas Basikoro.
Mutonhori kicked through the conversion again extending the lead to 17-0.
MSC coach, Mackenzie Munetsi, made some drastic changes in the 60th minute to try and breathe life in the team, in the absence of key Mutare Polytechnic College players, which somewhat helped.
In the 65th minute after putting pressure on the visitors, a loose ball in a rack in 22-yard created an opening for Rorry Si who put the first points for the hosts.
Si also kicked through the conversion to make it 17-7. After that try, the last 15 minutes of game time saw a spirited performance from the Mutare Shumbas though it was too late as the visitors held also fort.
In the 77the minute, Prince Blaimu kicked through a penalty conversion for Police Defenders from the 10-yard line to end the match 20-7. A disappointed Munetsi said despite the absence of key Mutare Poly players, the team should have done better.
“The players underrated their opponent and did not have that thirst to win. This was a match to win especially at home,” said Munetsi.
Police Defenders coach, Gerald Chinyani, said he was happy to secure an away victory.
“An away victory is always something to be happy about. We gave it our best shot and held fort to the pressure when the Mutare Shumbas came back strong.
“Unnecessary blunders however cost us tries that we could have wielded to maintain a comfortable lead, but those are problems we will work on,” said Chinyani.
In other league matches, log leaders, Harare Sports Club beat Old Johanians 56-27.
Meanwhile, top-flight national rugby action league seems to be grabbing a lot of attention from the corporate world in Mutare with a noteworthy number of companies coming on board last Saturday to market their wares and pledging support towards the team.
Local firms such as beverages company, Mutare Bottling Company, Bytron, Chancelot branding solutions, energy drink firm Power Strike and lubricant dealer Soclicat enterprises exhibited during the match.
MSC chairman, Moss Kapuma, said the coming on board of local companies was a good sign for the future of the sport.
Online Reporter