9 September 2024
The curtain came down on the 2024 football season on a beautiful spring Saturday in Botha’s Hill, with Kearsney College claiming a 3-1 win over Clifton College in the battle of the 1st XIs.
It was, for the most part, an evenly contested clash, with the early shots from both teams being kept at range as the defenders and midfielders did a good job of keeping the attackers in front of them.
Clifton goalie Lwazi Madikizela had his gloves stung by a shot just before the half-hour mark, but handled it well, while Ryde Brisset was just wide of the right-hand post for Clifton after being fed by Wandile Ngubane, who did well to turn over possession high up the field.
At the break, however, it was goalless. That soon changed in the second half.
A hopeful long ball into the Clifton box looked harmless, but it deceived goalkeeper Madikazela and Mvelo Mkhize accepted the gift, racing onto the ball and tapping it into the net to put the hosts 1-0 up.
Clifton responded well and Tiago Suarez had a shot blocked before Finn Haley was just wide with a volleyed effort from close range, which jammed him up a little.
Simnene Kubheka sounded a warning for Kearsney when he fired just past the ‘keepers left-hand post with his left foot. But the hosts, who were combining impressively down the left flank, broke through from that side with 48 minutes played when Bonga Maphanga got onto the end of a throw-in and lofted the ball towards Alwande Mbonambi. He leapt high and directed the ball back across goal with his head, leaving Madikazela stranded and Kearsney two goals to the good.
Stung, Clifton immediately surged onto the attack in response. Five minutes later, Haley, on the left-wing, slipped smoothly past his man and side-footed the ball into the back of the net to half the deficit. The momentum had swung towards the visitors.
When Kearsney at last worked their way out of their half, Sipho Majiza was rewarded for his enterprise, with a sweetly struck grass-cutter beating the goalkeeper, who was unsighted and rooted to the spot, from 30 metres out. Majiza, in the midfield, helped the home team find a consistent avenue of success down the left in the second half.
Two minutes later, it was all over. Kearsney 3-1 Clifton.
Tiago Suarez shone in the midfield for the Durban side, making an impact at both ends of the field, while Cristiano Texeira delivered some good touches. Evan Murray directed matters from the back, continuing his consistent form.
Up front, Wandile Ngubane challenged the Kearsney defenders with his pace, but they stood strong, led by their skipper, Ntsika Mfayela, who directed matters calmly and effectively from the back.
Together with the skilful Bonga Maphanga, Awande Hadebe, Simnene Kubheka, and Sipho Majiza, Mfayela handled Clifton’s pressure with aplomb, and strung together some impressive passing sequences down the left.
Afterwards, he said his side started slowly, but they found their way. “I think we lacked intensity, and we were running on emotion,” he said about the first half. A good half-time talk helped turn the tide for the home team.
Reflecting on his side’s campaign, Mfayela described it as “a season of ups and downs”. There was a fine third place in the Kearsney Soccer Tournament, but a disappointing showing in the Primo Big 10. However, they finished on a positive note, winning their last two matches.
For Clifton, it was a season of inconsistency, with some excellent results being interspersed with defeats.
They took down the KZN Coastal League and Primo Big 10 champions, Glenwood, and also handed the runners-up Siyajabula, a 2-1 loss at the Kearsney Soccer Tournament where a 4-0 win over TuksSport High School made the rest of the teams sit up and take notice.
They have some youth in their ranks, so Clifton will be aiming to build on the foundation laid in 2024 and will work towards more consistency next season.
On the day, most of the results went Kearsney’s way, with the home side winning the 1st XI, u16A and u14A matches, but Clifton scored a heartening 3-1 victory in the clash between the u15A sides.
RESULTS
1st: Kearsney 3-1 Clifton
2nd: Kearsney 3-2 Clifton
3rd: Kearsney 3-0 Clifton
6th: Kearsney 5-2 Clifton 4th
16A: Kearsney 4-1 Clifton
16B: Kearsney 6-0 Clifton
16C: Kearsney 2-2 Clifton
16D: Kearsney 1-1 Clifton
15A: Kearsney 1-3 Clifton
15B: Kearsney 4-1 Clifton
15C: Kearsney 5-2 Clifton
15D: Kearsney 4-1 Clifton
14A: Kearsney 4-2 Clifton
14B: Kearsney 5-0 Clifton
14C: Kearsney 5-0 Clifton
14D: Kearsney 5-0 Clifton
14E: Kearsney 5-2 Clifton
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