Bullets stop Gamecocks dominance

Fungai Muderere in Mhondoro

Cranborne Bullets 0-0 Chicken Inn

ARMY side Cranborne Bullets managed to collect their first point of the season when they played a nil all draw against Chicken Inn in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer match played at the magnificent Baobab Stadium yesterday.

Going into the match, Bullets were smarting from two identical one nil defeats at the hands of fellow army outfit, Black Rhinos and defending league champions FC Platinum.

This was a development that saw the Nesbert Saruchera mentored side anchor the log standings in the early stages of the season without scoring a goal and they are yet to do so.

Yesterday’s result between Bullets and Gamecocks saw the former end the latter’s dominance over them.

In the previous season, Cranborne Bullets suffered two league losses at the hands of the former champions.

In the 2021/2022 season, Chicken Inn edged Bullets 1-0 at Luveve Stadium before the Simbisa Brands sponsored outfit thumped Saruchera’s men 4-1 in the second leg tie that was played at Mutare’s Sakubva Stadium.

Yesterday, Cranborne Bullets gave a good account of themselves to get the priceless point dominating the exchanges in the first half before the 2015 league champions rose from their slumber only to miss clear cut chances, the chief culprits being their last season’s top goal scorer Brian Muza, Malvin Whata and rather impressive George Majika.

Cranborne Bullets’ captain Tadiwa Chibunyu, Kudakwashe Chidonza, Kingsley Mureremba, Moreblessing Mushangwe and ex-Chicken Inn defender Nyasha Gurende had a good show helping their fellow teammates match the visitors, who are now on five points pound for pound.

Saruchera reckoned they are improving by each passing game.

“We lost our first two games which were not easy. Today (yesterday) we drew against Chicken Inn. So in our next game we are targeting to collect maximum points.

Chicken Inn dominated us last season and we are only two years in the league so drawing with them pleases us. We are a young team and we are growing up,” said Saruchera who made three second half substitutes all in an effort to absorb pressure and catch the Gamecocks on counter attacks.

In their next assignment the soldiers will do battle against Dynamos.

Chicken Inn head coach Prince Matore underscored that there is a need to work on their finishing.

“We came here for three points but we didn’t manage to get them after creating a lot of chances especially in the second-half. We lacked precision.

We need to work hard on our finishing. We need to put out those chances,” said Matore whose charges entertain Highlanders in their next fixture set for Barbourfields Stadium.

Teams
Cranborne Bullets: T Makoni, N Kupara, M Mushangwe, C Charakupa, N Gurende, E Manokore, K Chidonza, T Chibunyu (Mhandu 84 mins), M Madzuka, K Mureremba (Meke 53 mins) B Muzondiwa (Matembedze 53mins)
Chicken Inn: D Bernard, A Chinda, X Ndlovu, M Bhebhe, D Jaricha, S Mhlanga, C Dzingai, G Majika, M Whata (Augusto 88th min), B Muza, M Charamba (Ncube 70mins).
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