/ 9 March 2008

Santos stay in the hunt

Santos recorded their fifth consecutive Premier Soccer League win when they beat Golden Arrows 3-1 at the Athlone Stadium on Saturday night.

An uneventful first half gave way to an action-packed second half that saw all four goal scored.

In the first half very little scoring opportunities were created and all Santos had to show for their efforts was an Erwin Isaacs attempt at goal, which, although well struck, went directly to Arrows keeper Miphy Lupini.

Arrows were the more industrious team early on and had a few chances, but nothing that caused Santos keeper Wayne Roberts any problems.

While the game remained evenly balanced with little in the way of goal-mouth action, it was the visitors who dominated both territorial and ball possession.

However, they struggled to break down a well-organised Santos defence, with a blocked shot by Philani Shange and a shot by Siyanda Zwane that went over the bar all they had to show for their efforts towards the end of the first stanza.

Arrows started the second half brightly but again struggled to make inroads.

With a goalless draw seeming to be on the cards, the game burst to life in the 68th minute when a clever through ball by Wayne Roberts released Isaacs through on goal.

Isaacs slotted the ball past Lupini to put the Santos 1-0 up in the 68th minute.

However, their lead was only to last for two minutes as Arrows substitute Buthelezi equalised by flicking the ball into the net after Roberts failed to properly deal with an aerial threat.

But barely a minute later the Cape side was back in the lead when substitute Ryan Chapman turned sharply on the edge of the box and buried a clinical shot into the corner of the net.

The final nail in the coffin for arrows was applied two minutes from time when Eleazar Rodgers out-muscled Siyabonga Sangwengi before finishing with the outside of his left foot. — Sapa