Old Bens run riot to seal derby bragging rights

Old Bens fired a warning shot ahead of the Benoni Derby – to their fans not to miss the spectacle and to their rivals, Benoni Northerns, to brace themselves for the storm they were about to bring.

That warning rang loud and clear on September 13, as Mike Lee’s charges tore into Northerns with a ruthless yet entertaining 5-0 drubbing at the Manny Ferreirinho main field.

First-half strikes from Lonwabo Kenke, Spiros Avgoustis and a quickfire brace from Josh Hurst all but killed the game before the interval. By the time Keagan Davids tucked away the fifth late in the second half, Old Bens were simply managing the game, ensuring the bragging rights stayed in Rynfield.

After quick exchanges early on, Kenke broke the deadlock, surging past two defenders to slot the ball past Andisa Hola at the near post. Avgoustis doubled the lead in stunning fashion, cutting inside near the corner flag, bamboozling three defenders, and squeezing the ball past the keeper from an almost impossible angle.

Northerns tried to respond, forcing two brilliant saves from Old Bens goalkeeper Neil Bouwer, but Hurst’s quickfire brace put the game beyond doubt. First, he outpaced his marker to calmly poke the ball past Hola, then he struck again at the near post to make it four.

The hosts had chances before the break but never truly troubled Bouwer.

The second half lacked the same fireworks, though Davids made it five when a clearance in the Northerns box ricocheted off him into the net. Northerns carved out a late opening, but Nala Mogedi fired wide with the goal at his mercy.

Old Bens sealed the bragging rights and closed the Eastern Super League campaign on a high. They finished the season seventh on the log with 38 points – 12 wins, two draws and 12 losses – while Northerns were fifth on 41 points with 11 wins, eight draws and seven losses.

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