ARGUABLY the rugby Third Division match of the weekend was the clash between eShowe and eSikhaleni on Friday night.
The Flya Sportswear Bozas Cup champs were determined to return to eShowe and prove that they were not a one-match wonder team, while the hosts needed to prove a point to their fans who turned out in their numbers.
With this in the back of the players’ minds, the scene was set for a tough game as the two teams kicked off their Stewart Shield campaigns for 2015.
eSikhaleni struck first with Simphiwe Makhoba crossing the line and Sizwe Sibiya adding the two conversion points, giving eSikhaleni a 7-0 lead into the break.
A fired up home team returned to the field in the second half and with poor discipline on the side of eSikhaleni, eShowe managed to get back into the game.
In the second half Gladwell Maduna of eShowe converted two penalties (one of them in the dying minutes of the game), but failed to convert a try scored by Sibu Kawula.
Sibiya added another three points to eSikhaleni’s score, but eShowe had done enough and won the game 11-10.
Lack of discipline did play a part in eSikhaleni’s downfall, with referee Beyers Habig yellow-carding three of their players.
They were reduced to 13 men at one stage, but luckily for them, eShowe were unable to capitilise on the situation.
