Huge win for KPFC’s first side at the weekend
The Kempton players' heads just never went down
KEMPTON Park Football Club’s first side headed to the deep south to take on high riding Sporting on Saturday and produced one of their best performances of the season so far, winning 5-3.
Despite their ongoing struggles with injuries and suspensions Kempton entered the game in a defiant mood against Sporting, who had broken Kempton hearts with a last minute equaliser to make it 1-1 in the corresponding home fixture.
The game set off at a frenetic pace with Didi Kasalu firing wide in the second minute and goalkeeper, Dean Workman making an early save. Clearances by Byron Jarman and Zukhile Bahlakazi kept Sporting at bay. After 10 minutes Grant Terrey forced a corner out of a scrambling Sporting defence.
Warren Gardner flighted the ball into the box and Quenn Hartridge’s bullet header left the Sporting goalie rooted to the spot.
Sporting reacted immediately. Straight from the kick off they worked the ball wide and the subsequent centre was met by a flying Sporting striker to make the scores level.
The Kempton players’ heads never went down and after squandering a chance on his unreliable right foot, Warren Gardner was presented with another opportunity shortly after when the referee awarded a free kick just outside the box. Never looking a gift horse in the mouth, Gardner stepped up to plant his left footed drive beyond the reach of the flailing Sporting ‘keeper.
Once again Sporting reacted and within five minutes they had levelled things once more. A mistake by Workman giving them the chance to make it 2-2.
However, this Kempton side would not lie down and when Isco made it 3-2, it was no less than they deserved. Just before the break, Humphrey Boitpelo combined with Marcus Thelele to set Gardner free and he made no mistake increasing Kempton’s lead by two.
The second half was unlikely to reach the heights of the first with the Kempton defence resolute in the face of a desperate Sporting who had hitherto only lost once at home all season.
Midway through the second half Sporting did manage a third goal after Kempton failed to clear their lines for once. Thereafter Kempton were rarely troubled with Bahlakazi and Jarman keeping very cool under pressure. Late on Kempton put the final nail in the Sporting coffin when Marcus Thelele broke away to make it 5-3. A great win at a difficult venue against a very strong side.
The second team were only able to field 10 players due to non-arrivals and injuries and were comfortably beaten by two goals to nil.
The next first and second side games will take place at Kempton’s home ground against Alberton on Saturday.
The third side maintained their second place in the second division after a 0-0 draw away at Olympia.
After consecutive 2-1 victories over Birch Acres and Olympia, the fourth side made it three in a row with a decisive 4-1 win over CBC on Saturday. They fell behind to an early CBC strike but goals by Clinton Schmidt and Kaaya Umar made it 2-1 at the break.
Further goals by Cebo Shabalala and Wayne Naidoo in the second half completed the scoring.
