The Safa Vhembe MMK Administrators League local derby between the current log leaders of stream E,  Makhitha Oscar Stars, and Makhitha Iyarunga was not played to the finish on Sunday at the Makhitha grounds. The score was still 0-0 when the match was stopped when Iyarunga’s players left the field.

The game was evenly contested and there were signs of rivalry from the start. Stars were only good at the far back. Their midfielders hesitated for too long and thus could not release balls on time for their goal poachers.

The Iyarunga lads initiated some promising moves from the centre of the pitch but were denied a number of scoring opportunities by the rock-solid defence of Stars. The closest Stars came to scoring was when Leavy Matshavha tried his luck from outside the box. Elikana Nemakanga, the keeper of Iyarunga, made his presence felt when he palmed the ball away for a corner kick.

Stars continued to control proceedings, but their strikers let them down by shooting aimlessly from close range. The half time score was still 0-0.

Iyarunga came back strongly in the second half, but Star´s keeper, Thanyani Netshipale, denied them a goal when he fisted Itani Dzahabuli´s volley away.

The match was stopped when a player of Iyarunga was allegedly assaulted by an official of Stars. Iyarunga’s midfielder-cum-striker, Ashean Monyeloete, was also red-carded for rough play.

The match continued, but an official of Iyarunga then went onto the pitch and surprised everyone by instructing his players to leave the pitch.

The chairperson of the Safa Vhembe competition committee, Mr Mulimisi Muneri, said that they were going to summon Iyarunga to appear before a disciplinary hearing to face a charge of direct abandonment of a match.