Hwange benefit from referee boycott

HWANGE were handed a free three points at the weekend after referees boycotted their scheduled Pacific Breeze Southern Soccer League match against Zebra Revolution over unpaid officiating fees.

The match was set for White City Stadium, with Hwange having travelled all the way to Bulawayo for the fixture.

The coalminers were subsequently awarded a 3-0 victory, taking their points tally to 51 as they continue their push for the league title and promotion back to the Premiership after three seasons in the lower division.

However, there are concerns that Zebra Revolution's failure to fulfil the fixture could open the floodgates for more walkovers, which have previously affected promotion and relegation battles by distorting the competitiveness of the league.

Some clubs have in the past blamed their relegation on teams gaining points through walkovers, while an accumulation of such results can also influence the promotion race.

Zifa Southern Region board member responsible for administration, Tizirayi Luphahla, confirmed that referees had taken a stance against officiating Zebra Revolution matches until outstanding payments were settled.

"They have not paid referees in the past. So the match officials have taken a stand that they will not officiate any matches involving Zebra Revolution until they are paid," said veteran administrator Luphahla.

Meanwhile, Talen Vision continued their pursuit of Hwange with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Blackrock in Hwange.

The win lifted Talen Vision to 48 points, three behind the leaders, keeping alive a title race that increasingly looks set to go down to the wire.

Talen Vision remain unbeaten in the championship and will be hoping to avoid a repeat of their 2019 title challenge, when they were eventually overtaken by Bulawayo City Council in the final stages of the race.

That season, Talen Vision had led the standings until August 20, when they suffered a shock 2-0 defeat to Indlovu Iyanyathela in a match in which they had been tipped to collect maximum points.

The latest victory was particularly important given Blackrock's strong home record. The young Sinderella-based side had also stunned Highlanders 5-3 in the Munhumutapa Challenge Cup third round involving 32 teams the previous weekend.

Nkayi United, now back under experienced coach Dan Ndlovu, occupy third place with 43 points following a disappointing spell under young coach Reginald Buhali.

Jordan maintained their push for a respectable finish on the log after beating Bulawayo Warriors 2-1 at Mthwakazi Stadium in Filabusi.

The victory kept Jordan fourth on the table with 41 points.

Simplicio Chigada and Shemiah Mutonono scored for Jordan, while Chilumbwa grabbed the consolation goal for Bulawayo Warriors.

With the season entering its decisive stages, the battle between Hwange and Talen Vision is shaping up to be a tight contest, with both sides determined to secure promotion to the top flight.