KPFC first team drops to fourth place after dirty weekend defeat
The game against Robertsham was marred by players exchanging blows and being sent off
Kempton Park Football Club’s first team took on second placed Robertsham in the ILFA Super League in a battle royal on Saturday and fell from top of the table to fourth place after the narrowest of defeats by 2-1.
Kempton flew out of the traps in the second minute when Zivai Verenga unleashed the sweetest of strikes beyond the wall and the goalkeeper and Kempton led early.
Chances came and chances went. The midfield tussle was a thing of beauty but late in the half things became a little too serious with players from both sides exchanging blows. Two Robertsham and a Kempton player were dismissed from the field.
Despite being a man shy, Robertsham took the second half to Kempton and finally broke through on 59 minutes when Michael Letsiro dragged the Robertsham number 10, Jason Faul, down just inside the box to give them a penalty.
For his trouble, Letsiro was shown a second yellow card and sent off. It was now nine versus nine. Faul struck home easily leaving keeper Cosway clutching at air.
With a dearth of space available the game opened up with Robertsham dominating. The home side were grateful to Cosway who produced a pair of incredible saves to keep things level.
With two minutes to go, Sandile Gamede gave a free kick away near the left hand touchline which was to prove decisive in the overall result. The kick was driven into the box and the Robertsham striker rose like a salmon to flick the ball inside the left hand upright for the lead.
There was too little time for a comeback and Kempton sank to their second loss of the year.
Kempton will play away at Olympia on Saturday hoping to put the wheels back on the cart.
The struggling, young, Kempton Park reserve side came up against a physically superior and much more experienced Robertsham side and were probably fortunate only to lose by a single goal to nil.
In the Easterns Division 1 league Kempton took on second placed Edenvale and came away with a fine 4-3 victory in an entertaining game. Kempton stand third in the table behind Sacred Heart and Benfica.
The Benoni Northerns hoodoo was well in evidence when second placed Kempton took a midweek trip to Northern Areas in the Easterns Division 3 league. After being two down in the first half, Warren Gardner struck for Kempton before a defensive error allowed Northerns a third late in the match.
