RED-HOT CHILLI BOY REVIVAL
Winning streak continues as rampant Chippa dim Stars
Winning streak continues as rampant Chippa dim Stars
Clinton Larsen’s rescue mission at Chippa United continued unbated at the weekend when the Chilli Boys secured a morale-boosting victory away from home.
The Port Elizabeth outfit walloped Free State Stars 2-0 at Goble Park stadium in Bethlehem to go four matches unbeaten under the new coach.
The goals. which came via the boots of Rhulani Manzini and Kurt Lentjies, saw the Chilli Boys register their first away win of the season and extended their unbeaten run against Ea Lla Koto to seven matches.
The victory moves Chippa to 13th place on the log standings – three points above Stars who sit a mere two points above bottom-placed Maritzburg United who recorded a valuable win on Friday evening.
The visitors took the lead in the 28th minute via a penalty from Manzini.
Chippa made sure of all three points with four minutes of regulation time remaining and they sealed victory when Lentjies netted the all-important goal.
The win marks a complete turnaround for a team that was losing matches which led to club bosses hiring and firing coaches in a bid to stem the tide until they settled for Larsen. When he took the reins early this year, Larsen pleaded with club management to give him sufficient time to lift the club out of the quagmire.
Larsen applauded Chippa’s defence for a job well done after the match.
“It was such a difficult game,” the coach said.
“In the first 30 minutes the opponents kept us back. We knew we had to defend well today and I thought the team did brilliantly.
“We defended well, we put our bodies on the line. We blocked everything they put through us.
“That is the type of performance we need when we are on the road and we are fighting for points.
“I am very happy with that.” Larsen said at half -time he told his players to maintain that defensive discipline and try to create a chance or two.
He said if they managed to score one or two goals through those chances, Chippa would be in a very strong position.
“We did exactly that. We went into the break with the lead.
“I said to them the next one is important. If we get it, it’s game over.
“If they get it [a goal] their confidence increases and it’s going to be difficult for us.
“Fortunately we got a brilliant goal from Lentjies.”
Chippa host Golden Arrows next week Friday.