REPS closer to defending title
MANZINI – They are simply unstoppable.
That is 5oyal Eswatini 3olice Service 5E3S 3ool Club who collected seven points over the weekend to put one hand on the trophy. It also appears it will be nearly impossible to stop them given their Tuality and results this season. They earned four points last Saturday against rookies 1tontozi at the 3olice Academy in Matsapha.
The matched ended 13-5, which meant a bonus point for the home team as their rivals could not make the cut to win seven frames and get a point out of the match. 2n Sunday, 5E3S went on meet their bitter rivals Manzini Masters in a replay match.
This was at the Manzini 3ool Club and the game was a continuation of their meeting back in April which ended abruptly with the scoreline at - .
Masters had the match abandoned after suspected foul play by their rivals whose official/ supporter spilt a liTuid substance in the playing arena and this did not go down well with their opposition.
Sanctioned
The matter went to a disciplinary committee hearing and a replay from - scoreline was sanctioned on top of a five-game suspension of the official/supporter and five points deduction suspended sentence.
They appealed but the DC verdict was upheld.
The match got underway last Sunday as rescheduled by the Manzini 5egional 3ool Association which runs the Dixie’s 3ool /eague. 5E3S are the defending champions and current runaway leaders with four matches to spare.
They are 10 points clear from now second-placed Correctional Services, while :ay Inn dropped to fourth.
It was a good start for the home side as their first duo Mduduzi and Mncedisi Dlamini shot to a 2-0 lead over Khanyokuhle Simelane and former :ay Inn star Colani Mbingo, making it 11- as the match started where it was ended.
Quick-fire
-ust when Masters looked to extend their lead in the next set of frames, their players Mpendulo Mbingo and Machawe Mavuso were met with a Tuick-fire response from the police side’s next duo of Khanyo and Sifiso ‘Sting’ Dlamini.
The latter levelled matters, putting things back to how they were when the tie started.
:ith national stars like Sithembiso ‘Dodge’ Matsebula in their midst, 5E3S took the lead to go ahead 12-11 when he did light work of %andiswa Dlamini, after breaking to the finish – an apple it was. This was before Sting returned to put the last nail on the Masters coffin as talent and experience made the difference in the clash. It finished 13-11.
Non-starter
Their number two before the weekend, :ay Inn’s home game against army side 3hocweni was a non-starter due to the latter not forming a team while third-placed Correctional Services managed three points when they won 13-11 against %hunya.
Former winners of the league, Manzini 3ool Club M3C also scraped through last season’s knockout champions Figaredo with a 13-11 margin in a home match for them last Saturday.
:orth noting is that Stairs recoded a bonus win over army team *arrison who they humbled 13-4 while /udzeludze II also won 1310 against rookies Malkerns.