/ 17 September 2011

Leopards claw their way to a draw

A cornered Black Leopards, seemingly heading for defeat when trailing by two goals at half-time of the Premier League game against Platinum Stars, clawed their way to a creditable 2-2 draw at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The promoted Polokwane club confirmed their penchant for sharing the spoils by drawing for the fourth time in five matches and moving significantly away from the relegation zone in spite of still searching for their first win of the season.

In scorching conditions in dusty Rustenburg, Leopards were forced to survive a late assault during which goalkeeper Posnett Omony made a sterling save following a pin-point corner which Stars’ 72nd minute substitute, Henrico Botes, headed against the crossbar.

Stars generally had a slight advantage with more fluid play in a game between two honest battlers in the bottom half of the PSL log in which forthright endeavour compensated for the lack of stylish football.

Stars opened the score in the 22nd minute through an opportunist Solomon Mathe and the bustling Robert Ngambi doubled the score line on the stroke of half-time.

Any notions that Stars would stroll to a comfortable victory were soon banished after the interval when Rodney Ramogaoela reduced the deficit in the 50th minute with a goal that appeared to give Leopards a slice of fresh motivation and renewed determination.

With Leopards desperately seeking a share of the spoils, Kingston Nkhata came up with the equaliser in the 82nd minute. — Sapa