Northerns continues winning streak
They sit on 28 points on the log after 14 games, with eight wins, three draws and three losses.
The Benoni Northerns FC’s second team battled back from two goals down to beat the Kempton Park reserves 5-3 in the Eastern Super League at the Manny Ferreirinho main field on June 7.
Goals from Danny Horacio, Ernest Mlakalaka, Tshepo Dimpe’s brace, and an own goal by Leroy Shora ensured Northerns picked up where they left off after dispatching the Old Bens reserves 4-1 in the Benoni Derby last week.
It wasn’t the start the hosts anticipated after falling behind by two goals within the opening ten minutes, but the players showed no signs of panic. With their backs against the wall, they dragged themselves out of trouble thanks to a neat all-round team performance.
While the entire match-day squad deserves credit, the influence of Mbuso Fakude at the heart of Northerns’ defence, the lively Dimpe in midfield, and the dynamic and agile Horacio upfront proved too much for Kempton Park.
Horacio, in particular, made it very uncomfortable for the Kempton back four. The visitors’ undoing was consistently trying to build from the back, despite the threat Horacio posed. As a result, Horacio’s pressing won his team many turnovers in the Kempton defensive third, leading to several counterattacks.
Kempton draws first blood
This loss will hit Kempton Park hard after Mlungisi Nkosi and Reabetswe Tlhale gave them the lead within a minute of each other early in the first half.
Nkosi was first on the scoresheet in the ninth minute, opening the scoring with a screamer from outside the area. After exchanging passes with a teammate, Nkosi spotted the Northerns keeper off his line and rifled the ball just over the goalkeeper’s head into the net.
Tlhale made it two a minute later, tapping in a cross from the right that was cleverly distracted by Nkosi to mislead the keeper.
Northerns’ response
Northerns kept their composure and responded immediately with a counterattack, but Horacio—afforded acres of space in the Kempton box—watched as his shot was pushed out for a corner.
Horacio finally found his goal in the 20th minute, tapping in Dimpe’s dinked pass. Mlakalaka equalised in the 38th minute as the teams went into the break tied 2-2.
Northerns went ahead a minute into the second half after Dimpe’s cross luckily went in without a player touching it. The midfielder added his second goal five minutes later, scoring on his third attempt after his first two shots were saved, as Northerns raced into a 4-2 lead.
Shora pulled one back for his team but went from hero to villain after Neo Parkies’ in-swinging pinpoint cross deflected off his shin into the net, handing the hosts a 5-3 victory and moving them to 28 points on the log after 14 games.
• In the late game, the Northerns first team beat Kempton Park first team 5-2.
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