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Grace Chingoma-Senior Sports Reporter

Simba Bhora  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  0

Cranborne Bullets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1)1

IT WAS a tale of mixed fortunes at the National Sports Stadium yesterday as Nersbert Saruchera finally got his first victory of the season with Premiership new boys Cranborne Bullets while the script is falling apart for Tonderai Ndiraya who was denounced by the Simba Bhora supporters.

Cranborne Bullets got their first set of points as well as their second goal of the season.

The army side which has been playing good football but failing to score got the all-important goal in the 15th minute when midfielder Sylvester Munhira capitalised on the blunder by Simba Bhora defender Keith Murera to score after an early onslaught by Bullets.

It was Cranborne Bullets’ second goal in eight starts. They only scored their first goal of the season in the 2-1 defeat against Sheasham last week with Tadiwa Chibunyu breaking the duck with the team’s consolation goal.

The elated Cranborne Bullets coach Saruchera said: “The win is very important (for our confidence). It is our first win of the season. We have lost about four games, so the players are happy,” said Saruchera.

The army side had a difficult start to the campaign as they lost by similar margins of 1 – 0 to Black Rhinos, FC Platinum, Yadah and Hwange. They had goalless draws against Chicken Inn and Dynamos.

But Saruchera said it was only the killer instinct in the final third that was lacking, and they have been working on addressing the handicap.

“I am happy, we managed to collect three points today. We have been working so hard, like l said before some of those games we were losing we were playing beautiful, fantastic football.

“We always play very well,” he said.

As Saruchera drove away in the branded car he won as the best Northern Region Coach a few years back, he was mobbed by fans who were happy to finally break the duck.

But it was not the same for his opposite Ndiraya, who was denounced by irate Simba Bhora supporters, as he was still in the dressing room. The fans gathered near his luxurious car which he was given by the ambitious Shamva side as part of his employment contract.

The angry Simba Bhora fans chanted expletive lyrics, demanding the axing of the coach, who was appointed to lead the team after their promotion from the ZIFA Northern Region One Division.

Simba Bhora have not won in their last three outings. They drew with Sheasham before losing back-to-back matches to fellow new boys Green Fuel and Cranborne Bullets.

Ndiraya said it was disappointing that they were donating points to other teams especially fellow new boys.

“I am very disappointed indeed. We were playing at home. This is our second game at home. Naturally, when we play at home, we want to take advantage of that and get maximum points at home. We didn’t do that in the past two games, including this one,” said Ndiraya.

“We are conceding early in the matches. l think it’s an issue of concentration. Then we fail to show character and come back into the game and try and get a result.

“So it has been very difficult for us especially in the final third to create chances and even when we do create those few chances, we have not really been sharp in that department.”

Ndiraya said the absence of some of his key offensive players due to injuries also affected the rhythm of the team as some of the youngsters couldn’t manage being thrust into the deep end.  He bemoaned lack of consistency by his players who tend to struggle against the smaller teams.

Teams

Simba Bhora: S Chinani, K Murera (V Kawe, 52 mins), V Musarurwa, T Tafa, P Jaure (N Mangesi, 84 mins), T Chipunza, B Moyo (A Manenji, 62 mins), L Musikiri (D Chunga, 52 mins), R Chitiyo, A Mandinyenya (T Jaravani, 62 mins), T Chawapiwa

Cranborne Bullets: V Jabangwe, J Janatana, P Mutasa, C Charakupa, M Mushangwe, E Manokore, V Mhandu, T Chibunyu (A Ngwenya, 77 mins), M Mudzuka (K Chidhonza, 59 mins), K Mureremba, S Munhira (T Torovasei, 33 mins)