FANS BAY FOR REF’S BLOOD AS PIRATES HOLD ‘BIRDS’

(At Mavuso Sports Centre)
Pirates......................................(0)1
Thabo 63rd
Swallows...................................(1)1
Felix 45th
MANZINI – “A good referee is hardly noticed in a football match,” once said the Special One, Jose Mourinho of England’s Manchester United.

Referee Thulani Sibandze and his assistants had to be escorted out of Mavuso Sports Centre yesterday by heavily armed police from the Operational Support Service Unit (OSSU).
This followed a questionable and rather below par performance from the ‘men in black’, who seemingly operated from their own rule book, irking the Mbabane Swallows technical team and their hordes of fans as over 3 000 watched the match last night.  

Moneni Pirates stole a point from this entertaining MTN Premier League match that was largely dominated by the visitors.
Defender Thabo Vilakati cancelled Felix Badenhorst’s first half strike with a powerful header, three minutes after the hour mark.

With obviously the trip to Zambia in mind, where Swallows will battle Zanaco in the Total CAF Champions League, coach Thabo ‘Koki’ Vilakati opted against using yellow-card nabbed Sanele Mkhweli and Njabulo ‘D4D’ Ndlovu, giving a rare as a hen-tooth start to Richard McCreesh.
McCreesh, the development product who has hogged headlines for the wrong reasons lately pulled the strings in midfield, dishing a man-of-the-match performance.

After 19 minutes, McCreesh found Felix with a clever ball unmarked inside the box but the former DRC’s AS Vita star saw his efforts brush the top of the cross bar and over with goalkeeper Siyabonga Zwane well beaten.
Right back Sifiso Mabila produced a moment of magic at the stroke of half time to finally break the deadlock, leaving two defenders for death at the far end before playing a quick one-two with Banele ‘Pupu’ Sikhondze and laying for an onrushing Felix who had the simplest of jobs- that of guiding the ball home for the opener.

Pirates came to life in the second half after a shoddy first stanza showing. Two minutes in, Sandile ‘Nkomishi’ Ginindza who returned to goal after struggling with a foot injury in recent weeks was called to action to tip over a thunderous Menzi ‘Magawugawu’ Simelane free kick 25-yards out.

Sandile Hlatshwako, the lanky Swallows striker should have done better after 53 minutes- rightly attacking the near post to meet Banele ‘Pupu’ Sikhondze’s cross on the right only to send his header wide off target unmarked.
However, the Sihlangu man showed the Pirates defence a clean pair of heels four minutes later, turning provider this time but Felix did not get proper contact with his left boot on the pull back for a routine training ground catch for Siyabonga.
Thabo Vilakati leveled matters in the 63rd minute with a powerful header from a Sihle Ndaba cross.

Pirates deserved their goal after frustrating Swallows in the second half, showing resilience and winning the midfield battle.
Young Lindani ‘Rio’ Matsenjwa started boasting the ‘battle of the wits’ and less came in the form of penetrative passing from the vistors.  

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