Men’s Res FC midfielder Obakeng Leping and Knockando winger Lehlohonolo Ramoreboti sprinting towards the ball as the spectators watch on. Photo: Otsile Swaratlhe
Teams play a friendly match, to force the Wits Internal League’s hand, after fixtures postponed.
Knockando FC failed to hold on to a 2-0 lead as Men’s Res FC came back from behind, equalising in the 87th minute in a friendly match at Wits Digs Field on Saturday, May 6.
In what was supposed to be part of the second round of fixtures in the Wits Internal Football League, the teams could not allow their match to be postponed yet again.
The match initially scheduled for Tuesday, May 3, was put on ice following concerns over security. Mhleli Sibeko (27), a subcommittee member of the league said in the past fights that have broken out during this fixture “[the league] must take other things into consideration before [Men’s Res and Knockando] are allowed to play.”
The match started in Men’s Res’ favour who showed dominance over Knockando during the first 20 minutes of the first half by creating the most chances and having great possession of the ball. Their failure to convert that dominance into goals was to be punished in the 24th minute by a goal from Knockando’s striker Kulani Khoza.
Men’s Res continued to keep the ball away from Knockando but they were caught getting a bit too comfortable with being in possession approaching the 34th minute. Men’s Res goalkeeper Ntando Mvundlela attempted to pass the ball from the back and Knockando striker, Lehutso Matsimela quickly intercepted the misdirected pass, scoring a second goal.
Men’ Res FC defender Tshepo Mothiba running to retrieve the ball as his teammate watches on in the background. Photo: Otsile Swaratlhe
Knockando’s defence eventually gave in to Men’s Res’ extensive pressure towards the end of the first half when Owami Cele scored to make the score 2-1.
Halftime proved to be important for Men’s Res as they came back stronger in the second 45-minutes of the match. They almost scored in the 64th minute when Mooze Magangane had a one-on-one opportunity – with only the goalkeeper to beat – and missed the target.
After 8-minutes, Men’s Res striker Siphamandla Msipha was brought down in Knockando’s 18-yard area but the cries for a penalty fell on deaf ears as no foul was awarded.
Knockando only had two attacking opportunities in the second half but none of them were on-target.
After crossing the 85th minute mark with Knockando still leading, it looked like they might end up winning the match.
However, the 87th minute proved otherwise as Msipha had the last kick of a well worked team goal to end the game at 2-2.
After failing to get official communication from the league, the managers of both teams brought the teams out on Saturday to “show the management that [Men’s Res and Knockando] can put their rivalry aside for the love of the beautiful game,” said Knockando’s manager, Mpumelelo Msani (23).
It remains unknown as to when this match will be officially played in the internal league.
FEATURED IMAGE: Men’s Res FC defender Sandile Mlala (right) being challenged for the ball by Knockando FC striker Lehutso Matsimela (left). Photo: Otsile Swaratlhe
Witsies from the Knockando Hall of Residence and the Rotaract campus organisation spent last week giving back to the Johannesburg community. They spent the week fundraising for a children’s cancer foundation and also hosted thirty women from the Hillbrow community and surrounding areas at the Knockando residence in Parktown for a day of pampering.
Witsies from the Knockando residence and Rotaract raised over R6000 last week through a number of events that started with a sprayathon and culminated with the Choc Night event on Friday.
The two groups raised the funds for the CHOC (Children’s Haematology Oncology Clinics), a childhood cancer foundation. Both organisations then teamed up to host 30 disadvantaged women from Hillbrow for a day of pampering.
Ivhani Maselesele, chairperson of the Knockando house committee, said the event showcased poetry, gum boot dancing, modelling, acapella and “Knockando’s 50 shades of chocolate”.
50 SHADES OF CHOCOLATE: “Knockanian men” were auctioned off at the Choc Night event last week Friday night in order to raise funds for a children’s cancer foundation. Photo: Provided.
“It was a night full of chocolate, man chocolate if you know what I mean,” said Nonhlanlha Ncube, the Rotaract committee chairperson. A few “Knockanian men” were auctioned off at the event to raise more funds after the sprayathon which amounted to R 6637.50.
“On one hour of sleep, we had to prepare for the women’s appreciation event, after Choc Night”, Maselesele said.
Thirty women between the ages of 20 and 60 were invited and pampered all day with manicures, massages, lunch and a mini shopping trip.
Some were caregivers at the Maliaka Children’s orphanage, some, grandmothers and others were women from rehab or had previously been abused.
“Because these women now work hard to provide for their children, we collected donated clothes which allowed them to also ‘shop’ at the event,” Ncube said.
SATURDAY SHOPPING: Items of donated clothing was arranged on tables and allowed woman to shop for themselves or family members. Photo: Provided.
The women were treated to gift bags containing sanitary towels, lipstick, lotion and nail polish, among other items, at the end of the day.
“The most amazing thing was realising that we had done exactly what we set out to do when an old gogo said, ‘ooh this young man reminds me of my late husband’, while I was massaging her,” Maselesele said.
Former house committee members attended the events which they described as “very successful and well attended,” and were pleased that the charitable traditions of the organisations have been carried out, since they were started in 2007.
No Offense: Knockando Men’s Hall Communications Officer Gavin Pasha says his res is all about brotherhood, not sexual objectification of first-year women. Photo: Mfuneko Toyana
KNOCKANDO has zero tolerance for the sexual objectification of women, especially senior Witsies pursuing first-year students, a spokesperson for the residence said.
Knockando spokesperson Gavin Pasha, 4th year BSc, told Wits Vuvuzela that Knockando made it a point to teach their first-year residents to respect women.
“You come here as a first-year and you are vulnerable, that’s why we have the rule that seniors aren’t allowed to talk to the first-year girls,” Pasha said.
He fended off suggestions that some of their induction activities for new students and the songs
sung by Knockando boys were overly sexual. One song is called “Touch, grab and hold” and some claim it refers to groping women.
But Pasha insisted that [pullquote]”Touch, grab, and hold” referred to the act of holding a beer bottle, rather than engaging in any sexual act.[/pullquote]
“It was analysed incorrectly,” he said, explaining it was the name of a party they held last year.”
Pasha also said that Knockando did not subject new students to any forms of harsh initiation.
“We have activities that improve the brotherhood and connection between first-years and seniors. We build the brotherhood so in the end you’ll be able to chow course,” Pasha said.
The inter-faculty games showed a new level of competitiveness last week when the two male res’s, Knockando and Men’s Res, better known to students as the “Knocks” and the “Raiders”, went head to head in what seemed to be more like a test of the residences’ pride.
The match started out quite slowly with both teams trying to find each other’s weak spots.
For the first 20 minutes of the game Men’s Res dominated the play, with attempts to break the Knockando defence. But against the flow of the game Knockando centre, Marcus Sham, scored a try which gave Knocks the lead.
After falling behind, the Raiders pushed hard for 10 minutes to equalise the score through a try from Mxolisi Makhombiti. The Raiders failed to convert the try.
For the last 10 minutes of the first half, neither team could manage to score any more points to take the lead at half time. The scores at half time were 5-5.
With half time scores at 5-5, both teams came into the second half with a point to prove. Both attempted to change the score line but the defence systems proved strong on both fronts.
Knockando and Raiders forwards locked in a scrum. Knockando won the game 18-5.
Photo: Lebogang Mdlankomo
Knockando dominated the second half with one try and a converted try that placed them in the lead for the entire game. The final score was 18-5.
A number of players that made their mark in the game included Men’s Res’s lock Graham Rex and centre Manne Adje and Knockando’s Blake Dismare.
Other games that took place on the night included Masakhane versus Monash, Humanities versus HSA, Commerce versus SAUJS and the Engineers against the Medics.
Published in Wits Vuvuzela, 12th edition, 2nd May 2012
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