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THE BALL IS MINE . . . Rodwell Chinyengetere (right) shrugs off the challenge of Border Strikers defender Godfrey Mukambi during yesterday’s match at Dulivhadzumu in Beitbridge. — Picture by Paul Mundandi

Thupeyo Muleya in Beitbridge

Border Strikers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0

FC Platinum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0

THEY maybe the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League’s whipping boys, but Border Strikers have somehow perfected the art of being stubborn at Dulivhadzimu. Border Strikers yesterday received FC Platinum at their fortress in the border town and battled long and hard as they checked the miners winning streak to give new coach Luke Masomere his first point with the club .Vavheneki as the team is known in the border town could have snatched the lead in the 25th minute through Clever Mutendebvure, but unfortunately his powerful shot hit the upright post.

He had been sent through by David Tito.

Mutendebvure tried his luck again five minutes later when the visitor’s defence failed to clear a loose ball, but his effort was collected by Petros Mhari.

The hosts kept on piling the pressure on FC Platinum forcing Norman Mapeza into an early change in the 30th minute replacing the out of sorts Hillary Bakacheza with Ishmael Wadi.

Mhari had to make a lot of brilliant saves in the first 20 minutes of the second half when Tito and Mutendebvure kept searching for goals.

Masomere decided to up the tempo when he introduced the fast paced Prince Sibanda for the injured Munyaradzi Chirape in the 70th minutes.

His counterpart, Mapeza responded with a fresh pair of legs by sending on Brian Muzondiwa for Nqobizitha Masuku, but the change failed to pay dividends.

Muzondiwa nearly scored in the 75th minute after being set by Raphael Mudiwa, but his powerful shot hit the bar.

FC Platinum forwards Walter Musona and Charles Sibanda then took turns to miss in front of goal much to the disappointment of Mapeza.

“We failed to come to the party, we could have won the match. There are some games like this one which we feel we should have won.

“We had better chances to win, but things like these happen in football.

“Border Strikers are fighting relegation and they came all out attacking us, a point for them matters the most,” Mapeza said.

Masomere who is just six days old at Border Strikers said he was a man on a mission and was not giving up the fight to survive relegation yet.

“This is my first game at home and we have improved our play comparing with the way we played against Harare City last week.

“I am here to work and I like challenges.

“We are going out of relegation zone and the idea is to fight up to the last game of the season, ” said Masomere.