In their MMK Funeral Services League match at the Makwarela Stadium on Sunday, Rockers FC beat Univen FC 1-0 to retain their leadership on the log.

Univen started the game with 10 men, while waiting for the registration card and identity document of their diminutive midfielder, Bandile Mashele. The students managed to match the hosts pound for pound in all departments, despite all the odds. Mashele’s registration card and identity document arrived 30 minutes after the game had started. When comparing the identity number on the card with the one on the registration card, the officials of Rockers discovered that the two numbers did not match. They then instructed the opponents not to field the player, saying he was not legible to play under the circumstances.

What followed thereafter was a heated argument between the officials of the two clubs and the game came to a halt for longer than 20 minutes as a result. Univen’s officials argued that they should be allowed to field the player and that Rockers should lodge a protest if they so wished. That was an insult to Rockers as they maintained that they would abandon the game if Mashele was allowed onto the pitch.

The referee finally made a ruling that the player should not play and the game continued as if nothing had happened. To rub salt into the Univen wounds, their keeper, Eugene Mbedzi, sustained a knee injury after a collision with Mulisa Tshivhi.

Mbedzi requested that he should be replaced, but there was nobody on the team’s bench to take his place and for that reason he was forced to guard the poles to the bitter end. Rockers capitalised on the limping Mbedzi’s injury to score their much-awaited goal in the 68th minute. Mashudu Siobo scored with a ground cutter from close range.

Univen were reduced to nine men after Lutendo Matodzi saw red, following a dangerous tackle on Ntsieni Nengovhela in the 76th minute. Despite that, Univen threatened to score moments thereafter. Mutali Mulaudzi shot straight to the keeper instead of chipping the ball and trying other possible ways.