Joe’s Express Football managed to make the grade during the SAB League promotional play-offs which were staged at the Jane Furse Stadium in Sekhukhune over the past weekend.

The team from the Northern part of Vhembe District meant business from their first match against Masokolara FC from Sekhukhune. As if they were hypnotised, the hosts did not respond when Joe’s Express scored three beautiful goals in the game.

Their second game was against the Waterberg side, Ocean Birds, whom they brutally walloped 7-2. Things turned against Joe’s Express in their third game, which was played on Sunday morning. They lost 0-2 to Winners Park from the Mopani District.

Their fourth and last match was against Molemole Academy from Capricorn District. Molemole were leading 2-0 at some stage, but Joe’s Express did not throw in the towel. They continued to fight like a united team and at the end it worked for them. They managed to make a late comeback and scored three goals, to finish the tournament with nine points.

In the other promotional play-off matches, Molemole Academy started the tournament with a bang. They beat the hosts, Masokolara FC, 2-0 on Saturday morning, but Ocean Birds from Waterberg were the hardest hit. They were brutally walloped 0-11 by Winners Park from Mopani. Winners Park continued to collect points by beating Molemole Academy 2-0 in their second match.

Winners Park secured a place in the Safa Second Division by beating Joe’s Express 2-0 in their third match on Sunday morning. The only match which Ocean Birds had won was against Masokolara FC, whom they beat 4-2. Although their final match was a formality, as they had already gained promotion to the higher division, Winners Park gave Masokolara FC a 4-0 soccer lesson in their final match on Sunday afternoon. Molemole Academy beat Ocean Birds 2-1 in their fourth match.

The top two teams in the tournament, Joe’s Express and Winners Park, will be campaigning in the Safa second dvision when the activities for the new season start in three weeks' time. Five teams, Joe’s Express, Masokolara FC, Winners Park, Molemole Academy and Ocean Birds, took part in the two-day event.