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Tobias Mandoreba in HWANGE
Hwange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0) 3
Highlanders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1) 1
THE pain continues for Highlanders who stumbled to a fifth successive defeat as they were humbled by a fired-up Hwange in a Castle Lager Premiership tie at the Colliery yesterday.

Bosso’s caretaker coach Mark Mathe thought he had finally found the winning formula when his charges went to the breather leading courtesy of a penalty converted by goalkeeper Munyaradzi Diya in the 18th minute.

It was Bosso’s first goal since Mathe took over from Kelvin Kaindu.

But the coalminers emerged from the dressing room firing from all cylinders and the long faces of the Highlanders supporters, after the game, told the big story of the suffering masses who believe in this team.

Bosso took the lead in the 19th minute after referee Hardley Ndazi adjudged that Munyaradzi Mungadze had tripped the slippery Knox Mtizwa inside the box as he went for the kill.

And up stepped Diya to slot home past diving Hwange goalkeeper Takabva Mawaya.

Hwange came back from the breather charging like a wounded buffalo and as early as the 47th minute the home fans were up in air only to see Rodwell Chinyengetere’s cracking crash against  the cross bar and bounce into the path of substitute Pritchard Mpelele who skied his effort with a yawning goal in front of him.

Hwange’s equaliser came in the 52nd minute when Evans Rusike latched on to a Chinyengetere pass and outpaced the entire Bosso defence before hammering past Diya.

Thirteen minutes later the coalminers surged into the lead after the Highlanders defence slept on duty and allowed Hwange leftback Mungadze to scramble the ball home during a goalmouth melee.

Highlanders did not throw in the towel as they continued to hunt for the equaliser, led by Rahman Kutsanzira and Mtizwa.

Six minutes from time, Mtizwa hit the crossbar.

Deep into injury-time, the hosts ended this game as a contest when Pritchard Mpelele fed fellow substitute Newman Sianchali who drove his effort past Diya.

Hwange assistant coach Chenjerayi Dube said his team deserved full points.

“We fully deserved the three points though in the first half it was a bit tough. We will continue fighting hard to finish the season in a respectable position,” he said.

Mathe took time to grant a post-match interview, asking the reporters to give him time to recover from the shock.

“We played well, especially in the first half, but our major problem in our matches is defence. We always leave gaps at the back and opponents always punish us.

“However, we will continue to fight hard to stop this slide of losing because it is disappointing to lose,” he said.

Teams
Hwange: T Mawaya; T Sibelo; M Mungadze; G Ndlovu; D Boriwondo; C Muleya(P Mpelele46th min); A Tshuma; F Vimisai; E Rusike; R Chinyengetere(P Dube 86th min); G Zulu(N Sianchali 78th min)

Highlanders: M Diya; S Munawa; R Kutsanzira; B Kangwa; I Mapuranga;  H Madzivanyika(M Maphosa 58thmin); K Mutizwa; F Chindungwe; O Zibande; D Ndlovu; H Moyo (V Ndaba72th min).