Patie M Guns FC Springs claimed a 7-4 victory over its Benoni team in the first leg of their friendly match at Springs Old Boys Sports Ground in Pollak Park recently.

The match brought the two teams together ahead of the Springs side’s move to the Eastern Local Football Association (ELFA) for the first time next season.

With the Springs team taking the win, Benoni will have a chance to respond when the teams meet for the second leg at its home ground next week.

Springs captain Ntokozo Nhlapo told the Springs Advertiser that the team performed well, although there was still room for improvement.

Through scorching sun, Nhlapo shared that the team could have done better but played well.

He credited the victory to the team’s preparation, structure and ability to follow the game-plan set by the coaches.

“Our structure and training were key because everyone was ready for the game, and we stuck to our game-plan,” he said.

He added that the team’s intensity, discipline and ability to follow instructions helped it maintain an advantage over Benoni.

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However, Nhlapo acknowledged that the opposition’s goals in the second half exposed weaknesses in the Springs side’s defence and midfield.

“I think the players were tired, and lack of structure in the defence and midfield in the second half affected us,” he said.

Looking ahead, Nhlapo added that the team would need to work on its tactics and put the approaches used during the match into practice.

Benoni captain Leroy Phiri told the publication that his team struggled to find its rhythm in the first half but showed improvement as the match progressed.

“We started off a bit slow in the first half, but in the second half we started doing much better. We were attacking more, and the confidence and team spirit were there. We were just unfortunate at the end,” he said.

Phiri identified defensive errors as one of the main challenges his team faced, saying the defenders came under pressure whenever Springs attacked.

He explained that a lack of structure and disagreements among players also affected the team’s performance, although things improved as the game continued.

Despite the defeat, Phiri shared he was encouraged by the team’s confidence towards the end of the match.

“I think we could have beaten Springs if we had started the way we played in the second half. But fortunately, we will get them next time as we play next week,” he said.

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