Bucks scalp the Lions
Promotion within reach
MTHATHA Bucks go into their last roundrobin match of the ABC Motsepe League national playoffs against North West Shining Stars this afternoon with a good chance of topping Group A to gain promotion to the National First Division next season.
This after they emerged 4-3 victors against hosts Hungry Lions yesterday in what was a high-tempo match dominated by the Eastern Cape side.
From being in danger of an early exit after their disappointing 2-1 loss on Wednesday, Bucks were at their best in yesterday’s encounter.
The win saw them go level on points with Lions while Limpopo side, Magesi FC are top of the group with four points with Shining Stars at the bottom of the group log and out of contention for the lucrative NFD status on offer.
All Bucks need to do this afternoon is win by more than a single goal without conceding and hope that Lions beat Magesi by no more than 1-0 and they will go through and book a place in the final on Sunday against Group A winners.
At stake in the final, which is just a formality as both teams would have been promoted to NFD by virtue of coming tops of their groups, is a prize-money to the tune of R1-million for the winner.
Back to yesterday’s match, Bucks were just unstoppable, so good that they came from 2-0 down to score three successive goals in a space of 20 minutes towards half-time while dominating the whole second half.
At the start of the match, especially the opening third, the Bucks defence was in sixes and sevens and that allowed Lions to score two goals. That was it for the hosts as the Mthatha side took the game to them.
“After conceding those two early soft goals, it dawned on my players’ minds that it is all for nothing after letting [those goals in] they decided that ‘we have nothing to lose let us go forward and look for goals’,” observed Bucks coach Julius Dube.
Bucks’ quality performance was in direct contrast to the one they displayed on Wednesday in their opener. One would have easily thought they had fielded different players.
Said Dube: “It is all about my players believing in themselves because they know what they are capable of. Now this is the team I know but it was just an unfortunate thing that they let themselves down with the loss in our first game.
“I know a lot of people have lost hope but I believe in my boys and I believe we can still do it [gain promotion].”
Lions opened the scoring in within five minutes into the game courtesy of former Bloemfontein Celtic striker, Moses Spandeel who benefited from a poor clearance by a Bucks defender. Barely 10 minutes later, former Santos player Jurie Basie banged in the second for the hosts.
This is the goal that triggered Bucks’ rigorous attacks on their foes and they were quickly rewarded with a goal by Themba Dlamini.
In no time, former Chippa United and Goldern Arrows target man Welcome Qalanto came with the equaliser.
Then a few minutes to the break Ayanda Luna registered his name among scorers and the Mthatha-based club went into the change-room in the lead.
Midway into the last 45, Lions came back to level matters and Basie got his brace.
When everyone thought a draw was on the cards, Qalanto headed home the winner for Bucks, thanks to a quality delivery by Siyabulela Songwiqi.
The referee blew his whistle three times and Bucks secured a much needed three points.
Group A log standings before today’s matches:
Position Team Played W L D GF GA GD Pts 1 Magesi FC 2 1 0 1 3 2 +1 4 2 Hungry Lions 2 1 1 0 6 6 0 3 3 Mthatha Bucks 2 1 1 0 5 5 0 3 4 NW Shining Stars 2 0 1 1 3 4 -1 1