Arrows hit the mark

LEHLOHONOLO Nonyane’s stoppage-time strike helped Lamontville Golden Arrows snatch a late 1-0 Premiership win over Free State Stars at Goble Park yesterday.

The Abafana Bes’thende leftback scored his first goal for the club to deny Ea Lla Koto, who looked to have done enough to earn at least a point.

But they were instead left with a second loss in three matches to stay around the relegation zone.

The visitors, meanwhile, shot into the top five after a second win in as many games as the hosts.

The match was an even contest for the most part. Danny Venter and Nduduzo Sibiya exchanged efforts in the opening quarter, although neither of the goalkeepers, Maximilian Mbaeva or Thela Ngobeni, was really tested.

Mbaeva was forced into his first real save on the half-hour mark when Katlego Mashego’s free kick found Nyiko Mobbie in space, but the shot from the edge of the box was parried by the Arrows custodian.

The action continued to switch from one end to another on a mild Free State evening as Nhlanhla Vilakazi and Siyabonga Dube then fired wide for their sides as the sides went to the break goalless.

Bafana Bafana striker Moeketsi Sekola was introduced after the hour and though his arrival added some life to the home side’s attack, his first effort after 78 minutes was ballooned over.

With time running out, a draw looked the most likely result, until the intervention of Nonyane. The former Mpumalanga Black Aces defender managed to get on to the end of a Nduduzo Sibiya free kick, completing a left-footed finish to put Arrows ahead.

Sekola almost grabbed a deserved equaliser deeper into the referee’s optional time, only to be denied by the acrobatics of Mbaeva, as Clinton Larsen’s men claimed all the points. – ANA