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Tadious Manyepo
Sports Reporter
IT keeps on getting better for Warriors utility man Jordan Zemura.

The 21-year-old AFC Bournemouth left-back has bagged the Player of the Month award for August for the English Championship football side.

What makes it even sweeter for the England-born star is the fact that this is only his first month playing regularly for the senior side since joining the Cherries two years ago.

The Zimbabwean picked the Michael Matthews Jewellery-sponsored award after piping Dominic Solanke in a vote conducted on Twitter and Instagram.

Despite Solanke’s three goals he has scored so far, the fans felt Zemura deserved it more.

Jaidon Anthony and Philip Billing who have been some of the cogs driving Bournemouth’s bid for re-promotion came out third and fourth respectively in the race.

It’s a fitting reward for a lad who has worked so hard to establish himself as one the outstanding players not only for Scott Parker’s men but in the entire English Championship.

Thrust into the starting team because regular starter Jack Stacey was nursing an injury in the English Championship opening 2-2 draw against West Bromwich Albion on August 6, Zemura has never looked back.

He has gone on to play with a lot of composure and maturity of a veteran, helping the Cherries go for the first five games of the new season without a defeat including two clean sheets against Hull City and Birmingham.

Bournemouth currently sit on sixth place with nine points, four behind pace-setters Fulham.

Zemura, who was desperate to fly home and represent Zimbabwe in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and Ethiopia, said he is surprised he won the accolade.

Zemura is part of the UK-based stars who couldn’t fly back home for the assignments due to the Covid-19 protocol in that part of the world.

“I am over the moon, very excited at winning this prestigious award,” said Zemura.

“It’s an honour that anyone can dream of. I am extremely humbled with the recognition.

“I am just trying to get into the team and help the team achieve their goals.

“I have been working extremely hard to try and make an impact while helping my club. This is my first time to win such an honour, such an award. I am very happy for myself, the family and the club.

“I want to reserve special mention to the team’s fans who saw it fit to vote not only for me but for my three other colleagues as well. It is such a satisfying feeling just to know that your team has such a huge following not just at the stadium but also on online platforms.

“I would like to salute everyone at our team without which I wouldn’t have won this accolade.”

Zemura said the award will inspire him to work even harder going forward.

“I have always worked hard and I will make sure that I put in even more work in training and games so that I improve both as a person and as a player.

“This is my first month playing senior team football and winning such a prestigious award can only push me to do more.

“I salute the manager (Parker) and my teammates for their roles in improving me as a player and a person. This is a team award, its for all of us at Bournemouth.”

The youngster took time to rally his Warriors teammates ahead of their second Group G encounter away to Ethiopia tomorrow.

Zimbabwe were held to a goalless draw at home by South Africa last Friday in their opener. And they are looking to collect the maximum points against bottom of the log Ethiopia who lost their opener 0-1 against Ghana on Friday night.

“A draw against South Africa in a World Cup qualifier in the opening match, well that’s fair. I would like to thank my teammates for their effort. That was gallant. I know they will fight in Ethiopia and we will come out good there.”