Back to the bush for Ezenkosi

Olën Park MARITZBURG United produced a rousing finish to score three times in the last 10 minutes and come from behind to beat Jomo Cosmos 3-1 yesterday and condemn Jomo Sono’s team back down to the National First Division.

Maritzburg, who had to win the game to stay up after the University of Pretoria won their game, trailed for over an hour before Mohau Mokate and Evans Rusike delivered salvation with three goals in the space of 10 minutes.

Mokate began the comeback with a header over goalkeeper Shelwyn Naicker in the 82nd minute and Rusike, kept under wraps for most of the game, got the all-important winner, tucking away a cross from Abia Nale in the 86th minute.

Rusike then made sure on the counterattack deep in stoppage time as he proved deadly to grab a second and a killer blow.

It set off massed celebrations from coach Ernst Middendorp and his team as bus loads of Maritzburg fans jigged with delight at the final whistle.

A rasping shot from outside the area in the 27th-minute gave Cosmos the half-time lead as Linda Mntambo looked to ensure Ezenkosi’s status with the early strike.

A long ball from Naicker was flicked on and within two touches Mntambo struck powerfully to put it wide of diving Maritzburg goalkeeper Virgil Vries.

Cosmos, who only needed a draw to preserve their top-flight status after years of yo-yoing between the divisions, were in control for most parts but fell apart at the end of the game

Their defence was faultless. But they let it all lapse at a crucial moment in the game.

Maritzburg had two early chances when Thamsanqa Mkhize headed wide at the back post after persistent work from Sheldon van Wyk and then Thamsanqa Teyise had his corner cleared off the line.

But after that Cosmos looked the brighter of the protagonists and after going 1-0 up should

Evans Rusike proved deadly to grab a second and a killer blow

have made it 2-0 within five minute when Vries made a vital save to deny Tebogo Makobela.

Early in the second half Charlton Mashumba beat the offside trap and should have been given a penalty but the linesman flagged him up erroneously. That mistake was compounded at the other end soon after when Maritzburg were denied a legitimate-looking penalty when a Cosmos handball was waved away by referee Daniel Bennett.

Maritzburg kept attacking as the game headed to a conclusion and there were chances for Gregory Maasdorp and Kwanda Mngonyama before the trio of vital goals decided the game.