Roger de Sa’s side started the game well and in the third minute Santos keeper Francis Chansa was forced into making a good save at his near post after Tebogo Langerman ran in on goal from the left wing.

Santos winger Graham King then came to his side’s rescue form the resultant corner as he cleared Langerman’s header off he line.

Former Santos midfielder Bantam’s intelligently-taken free kick in the 17 th minute saw him picking out an unmarked Tefu Mashamaite. Mashamaite was only eight yards out from goal, but first touch let him down and the chance went to waste.

Santos had a couple of half chances in the opening 30 minutes of the game, andl managed to take the lead in the 32nd minute when Mogogi Gabonamong was left unmarked at the back post to bundle King’s corner over the line.

Goal mouth action was at a minimum in the opening minutes of the second half as the high pace and competitive nature of the match resulted in neither team being able to settle into any kind of rhythm.

Shots from long range were traded, while Bantam fired a free kick straight at Chansa and King came close at the other end with a sweetly-struck free kick of his own.

In the 70 th minute Wits finally made some headway into the Santos box which saw Samuel Ramasoeu’s and Langerman both sending efforts across the face of the Santos goal.

Santos Substitute Lennox Bacela made his debut and made a big impression on the game, causing all sorts of trouble for the Wits defence as he did his best to get on the score-sheet, coming close two or three times.

Santos were on top for most of the last 20 minutes of the game, but David Bright’s side failure to net a security goal proved costly as Bantam tapped in from close range after Chansa had spilled an aerial ball under a heavy challenge, which may well have been called a foul.

TEAMS

Santos: Chansa, Macala, Otieno, Gabonamong, Fransch, Arendse, King, Isaacs, Basie (T Arendse 71'), Chapman (Bacela 61'), Manuel (Oakes 78')

Wits: Keet, Mashamaite (Olivieria 80'), Hendricks, Winstanley, Langerman, Tipa, Gariseb, Bantam, Spelman (Studzinski 55'), Rodrigues, Kadi (Ramasoeu 63')

 

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We would love to hear from Engen Santos fans - whether it be on the current form of the
PSL side, or your own personal stories while supporting the team over the years...

Please e-mail Chantel Olivier: chantel.o@santosfc.co.za

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