THOHOYANDOU – Black Leopards Football Club registered their first victory when they beat Hellenic 1-0 in their Castle Premiership League match that was played at the Thohoyandou Stadium on Saturday.

Leopards, who were still mourning their 0-5 defeat at the hands of Kaizer Chiefs, were more committed than the "Greek gods" during the first 15 minutes. Richard Lishivha, the Leopards' right flank, was unlucky to see his shot going a little wide, after receiving a beautiful pass from Wonder Nhleko. That happened when the game was 20 minutes old.

The Cape Town lads came close to scoring when their Zimbabwean midfielder, Makwinzhi Somaphiri, forced his way through the Leopards' defence and released a volley that caused the Leopards' keeper, Walter Khumalo, to stretch to the limit to palm the ball away for a corner kick.

The scoreboard was still blank at half-time. The homeside effected their first change to their original team by introducing the former Kaizer Chiefs striker, Justice Sithole, for the weary Richard Lishivha. Sithole formed a deadly combination with Mulondo Sikhwivhilu and Wonder Nhleko at the forefront.

The struggle continued with the local lads pressing hard in search for the all-important goal. Pressure mounted against Hellenic when Leopards replaced Mulondo Sikhwivhilu with Japhta Mabosho. Justice Sithole caught the Hellenic keeper, Garath Ormshaw, off guard when he tried his luck from the 35m area. Ormshaw misjudged the flight of the ball and suffered the pain of watching it going beyond his reach in the 75th minute. Leopards finished off their substitutions by replacing Wonder Nhleko with Naughty Mokoena. What could have been the Leopards' second goal was turned into a nightmare when Duncan Lechesa's goal was disallowed on the basis that he was in an offside position.