Football schedule light ahead of exams
With the mid-year exams looming, football action around the country is winding down, with several schools in the Eastern Cape, Free State, and Gauteng having played their last matches for the first half of the season.
Siya Pongco rounds up recent action in the East London High Schools Football League, the Magnificent Wednesday Schools Football League, the Mangaung Schools Football League, as well as various derbies and friendly matches.
B-Block BWFLA High Schools Soccer League (East London)
The fixtures for the East London High Schools Soccer League will be put on hold during the forthcoming examination period, which meant that only match was played last week, with Dale College claiming a victory after a series of defeats.
Dale headed into their clash with Westbank High in mid-table, below their usual lofty status, but they pulled off a hard-fought and morale-boosting 2-1 win.
Magnificent Wednesday Schools Football League
On Friday, in the Magnificent Wednesday Schools Football League, Virginia High School and Harmony High School, in circuit nine, produced exceptional performances, but Reatlehile Secondary School, unfortunately, failed to appear for their match against St Anne’s Technical High.
Virginia High, who went into their match in second place in the standings, one point behind St Anne’s, powered their way to a resounding 6-1 victory over Meloding Secondary School. St Anne’s, meanwhile, was awarded a 2-0 walkover win over Reatlehile, which kept them ahead of the Absa Wildeklawer champion.
In a second meeting between the teams, Harmony High defeated Marematlou Secondary School 2-0.
Mangaung Schools Football League
In the Free State’s Mangaung Schools Football League, there was limited activity on Friday, but some teams were able to catch up on fixtures that had been scheduled for earlier in the season.
Petunia Secondary School rolled to a 4-2 win over Kagisho Secondary School, while HTS Louis Botha recorded a 2-0 win over Sand du Plessis.
In a high-scoring contest, Kyrios Independent School picked up a 5-3 victory over Bainsvlei Combined School.
Challenges, Derbies and Reunion fixtures
On Saturday, Grey College welcomed East London’s Selborne College for matches in squash, rugby, hockey, and football.
On the football field, Grey decisively defeated Selborne 4-1.
Renowned in South African schools’ football, Grey College showcased their exceptional skills to continue a strong season which has seen them excel in the Mangaung Schools Football League and secure a place in the final 16 of the Curro Halala Cup.
Earlier in the week, on Tuesday, Grey College had the honour of hosting the Bafana Bafana technical team, including the national team coach Hugo Broos, which surely provided Grey with a good boost ahead of their showdown with Selborne.
On Saturday, Maritzburg College, celebrating the school’s Reunion Weekend, faced the challenge of an Old Boys’ team. In an evenly contested clash, seven goals were scored, with College, led by goalkeeper CJ Sukraj, sneaking a 4-3 victory.
The Red, Black, and White, have already booked their place in the final of the Mancosa KwaZulu-Natal High Schools Football Association (KZNHSFA) Inland A-League, but before that they have one last round-robin match to play against Haythorne Secondary, at Barns Field, on Tuesday.
RESULTS
Wednesday
B-Block BWFLA High Schools Soccer League (East London)
Dale College 2-1 Westbank
Friday
Magnificent Wednesday Schools Football League
Virginia High 6-1 Meloding
St Anne’s Technical High School 2-0 Reatlehile Secondary School (Walkover)
Harmony High 2-0 Marematlou (Rematch)
Friday
Mangaung Schools Football League
Petunia 4-2 Kagisho
HTS Louis Botha 2-0 Sand du Plessis High School
Krios Independent School 5-3 Bainsvlei
Derbies/Challenges, and Reunions
Grey College 4-1 Selborne College (Challenge match)
Maritzburg College 4-3 Old College Boys (Reunion)
