Brakpan validate dominance against United
Reigning champions Brakpan produced a clinical second-half performance in their home match, to beat newcomers East Rand United 45-12, in a Valke Peregrine League encounter.
The May 21 match saw the underdog visitors put up a commendable performance to keep the defending champion at bay as the teams went into the break, with the score reading 19-12 in Brakpan’s favour.
However, the champions kicked into that higher gear in the second stanza and put their foot on the pedal as they ran away with the match, scoring 26 points without reply, to secure their bonus-point win.
After eight rounds of play, Brakpan are sitting pretty, with 35 points from a possible 40, thanks to their seven wins – with their only defeat coming in the form of a hiding against Vereeniging.
Regardt Botha’s men have also scored 523 points thus far, including a jaw-dropping 77 tries in total, and have conceded just 122 points. Their points tally is 191 more than the second highest scoring team, Vereeniging.
Their 77 tries in eight games gives them a near average of 10 tries per game.
United had made matters worse for themselves in the second stanza, as ill-discipline from halfback duo Clayton Gindan and Ronald Botes forced them to play with a slightly depleted team – a self-destructing action against the ruthless champions – as their coach later explained.
“We prepared well for the match, but we were not vigilant enough to stop them,” said Derrick Sampson.
“The first-half was balanced, we went into half-time at 19-12; then we put ourselves under pressure by getting a yellow card and a red card in the second-half; you can’t play like that against Brakpan.
“The concentration in the second-half was not good, we were not winning our set-pieces.”
United’s points came from four-slotted penalties from Cameron Lentoor; their next assignment is a home clash against Kempton on Saturday. – @SabeloBoksburg
