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Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
THREE second half goals stirred Southern Region Soccer League championship favourites Bulawayo City to an emphatic victory over Ntabazinduna at Luveve Stadium on Saturday.

The local authority sponsored side took their points tally to 30 off 14 matches. Although City are tied on points with title rivals Bulawayo Chiefs, they top the table through a better goal difference.

Chiefs kept up the pressure with a 2-0 win over Old Nic Mine.

Ex-Zimbabwe Saints and Chicken Inn winger Humphrey “Muchichwa” Ncube, captain Zibusiso “Mzimara” Sibanda and Makhosi Ncube were on target for City as they ran riot against the Agent Sawu-coached Ntabazinduna.

The prison warders were playing their third match in eight days and could have succumbed to fatigue as they collapsed in the second half against a determined City.

City coach Philani “Beefy” Ncube was full of praise for his charges’ determination to secure maximum points.

“I think the turning point in the second half was the character that the boys showed. In the first half we were second on the ball, but after the breather we were quicker and really wanted the points. What we realised was that Ntabazinduna were content with a draw and we pushed harder to get maximum points. I’m happy with my boys’ performance,” Ncube said.

City have gone five games without conceding, something that Ncube is pleased with.

“We’ve been gradually working on our play and you can tell that we’re slowly getting things right. As a unit, we’ve been defending well and we’re also getting our attack right. The fact that we can get goals from any department speaks volumes of the composition of the squad. It shows that its teamwork that’s at play. We’ll continue working hard to make sure that we maintain consistency,” Ncube said.

While City were busy celebrating at Luveve, across town Chiefs hit Old Nic Mine 2-0 in Killarney.

Chiefs got their goals from Highlanders bound Ishmael Wadi and Desire Shumbanhete to keep the pressure on City.

“We fluffed a number of scoring opportunities and I feel that we should’ve won by a bigger margin. I’m happy though that we managed to collect maximum points but I feel we’ve to work on our attitude and learn to take away our scoring opportunities,” said Thulani “Thuts” Sibanda, the Chiefs’ coach.

Third placed ZPC Hwange suffered a shock 0-1 defeat against Trumus in Victoria Falls.

Thabani Ndlovu scored for Trumus, condemning ZPC Hwange to their second defeat of the season.

The result left the electricity generators four points behind City.

Another surprise result was also recorded in Victoria Falls where Amagagasi halted Technosphere’s 10-match unbeaten run with a 1-0 victory courtesy of a Memory Ncube goal.

Former Premiership side Bantu Rovers moved three places up the ladder to fourth following their 2-1 away win over Mpumalanga in Hwange.

Tshintsha Guluva came from a goal down to snatch a memorable win in the coal mining town. Ex-national Under-17 striker Bukhosi “Zakhu” Sibanda scored a brace for Bantu Rovers to cancel Donoen Tadiwo’s first half strike.

Results

Saturday: Nust 1-1 Hwange Juniors, Old Nic Mine 0-2 Bulawayo Chiefs, Amagagasi 1-0 Technosphere, Bulawayo City 3-0 Ntabazinduna, Black Boots 1-1 Makomo, Mpumalanga 1-2 Bantu Rovers

Sunday: Trumus 1-0 ZPC Hwange