CARLO COCK
On Saturday 19 March AmaTuks beat Batau FC 4-2 at the ABSA Tuks Stadium. This means AmaTuks secured a crucial three points in their bid to gain promotion to the ABSA Premiership. The win ensures that AmaTuks remain in the hunt for promotion, keeping them third on the log, only two points behind Black Leopards in second.
AmaTuks got off to a good start by scoring within the first thirty seconds as Thokozani Sekotlong easily got the ball past Batau FC keeper Brenden Wardle. Batau FC struggled to get a foothold in the game and their shaky defence, which has now conceded 42 goals in 18 games this season, could not contain AmaTuks’ expansive football. Despite boasting some big names such as David Radebe and former Bafana Bafana defender Cyril Nzama, Batau FC sit bottom of the NFD Inland Stream log.
AmaTuks had several chances in the opening minutes and the second goal came in the 12th minute as Njabulo Ntutsi’s low cross was deflected into his own net by Karim Batha. AmaTuks continued to pile on the pressure and could have scored a third in the 30th minute when they were awarded a penalty but Christopher Netshidzivhe kicked it over the bar. AmaTuks continued to create good scoring chances and finally got a third goal just before half time as Mpala scored after a well-worked corner.
AmaTuks picked up where they left off after half time and made it 4-0 shortly after the break as another set piece gave Dennis Omino a chance to score. Batau FC got back into the game when Mabaso pulled one back and then Maxwell Kubheka finished off some good inter-play to score a late consolation goal in the 85th minute.
In the final minutes of the game, with the score 4-2 to AmaTuks, the visitors were awarded a penalty but failed to capatilise when the penalty was saved by AmaTuks keeper Aubrey Ngoma. Despite an apparent lack of concentration in the second half, AmaTuks held on to the lead. Perdeby will be watching AmaTuks closely in their remaining three games of the season.
