Township Rollers’ head coach, Darlington Dodo, was left speechless after watching his ailing side being torn into pieces by a superb Uniao Flamengo Santos in a Be MOBILE Premier League match which was played under scotching heat at Molepolole Sports Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The youthful Gabane side secured a 2-1 win over Rollers’ side which has failed to come to the party so far this season.
Ahead of their game against Santos, expectations were high amongst Rollers’ supporters that they might record their second win of the season. But Santos had a plan and they masterminded it throughout the 90 minutes. It was a frustrating day for coach Dodo who watched his defenders commit schoolboy errors at the back and were lucky to concede two goals.
Gofaone Tiro scored as early as the eighth minute for Santos before Eric Molefi beat an offside trap in the 65th minute to secure the maximum points for the Gabane side. Left-winger Kobamelo Kebaikanye struck from an acute angle in the 33rd minute to give Rollers some hope but their dreams were shattered in the second half.
The loss has left Mapalastina in 13th place on the log with seven points, 13 points adrift of log leaders Mochudi Centre Chiefs. This is an unacceptable situation to Rollers’ supporters who shouted some profanities at the coach and his team when they left the stadium on Sunday evening.
“The team is playing well but I can’t be happy if we continue missing chances like that. When we attack, we look dangerous but the problem is converting those chances. I’m an optimistic man we’ll continue working on that,” Dodo told the journalists at the end of the game.
The Zimbabwean gaffer lashed at his defenders for giving away what he termed stupid goals. He hinted that there is a need to strengthen the team in January.
“We need to add more players in the next transfer window if I’ll be here. It is the nature of this game when results are not forthcoming anything can happen,” he added.
According to those close to Rollers, Dodo faces his final test when his side takes on bitter rivals Chiefs in Molepolole on Saturday. It is a game which means a lot to Rollers’ supporters and losing it might spell doom to the gaffer.
Already some Rollers’ supporters live in fear ahead of the fixture.
“If we were exposed by Santos, what will happen when we meet Chiefs? We’re likely to be buried in an avalanche of goals. I’m even considering not to attend the game; I would rather listen on the radio,” said one concerned supporter at the end of the game.
Meanwhile, Chiefs sustained their position at the top of the table when they beat Prisons XI 2-0 at SSKB Stadium. Chiefs had to do it the hard way after their key midfielder, Dirang Moloi, was red carded in the first half for an off the ball incident. Though they were a man down, goals from Elvis Meleka and Galabgwe Moyana ensured that the Kgatleng giants remain at the top with 20 points from eight games. Second placed Gaborone United hammered TAFIC 2-0 in Molepolole.
