Well, well, well… so much for No Bones with Jones’ prediction that FC Tafelzucht would be among the favourites to secure promotion at the SAFA Cape Town Third Division Play-Offs currently reaching the business end at The Greens in Manenberg.
For No Bones with Jones, it’s a healthy serving of humble pie for breakfast, lunch and supper.
Credit, however, must go to a resilient Salt River Blackpool side who tore up the script with a dramatic penalty shootout victory over the Mitchells Plain LFA champions. After a pulsating 2-2 draw in regulation time, Blackpool held their nerve to triumph 4-2 on penalties and keep their promotion dream alive thanks to the heroics of their goalkeeper, Shakeel Arendse.
Veteran striker Ganief Stellenboom handed Blackpool an early advantage before Shukeer Simons restored parity for Tafelzucht. Blackpool regained the lead in the second half through Shaheen Jardine, only for Ahmed Davids to level matters once again and force the contest into a shootout.
When the pressure reached its peak, Arendse emerged as the hero, producing two crucial saves from the spot to send Blackpool into the semi-finals and spark jubilant celebrations.
Coach Yaaseen “Yaya” Jefferies’ charges will now face Wanderers XI, who also needed penalties to overcome YBC from Khayelitsha after a gripping 2-2 draw, eventually prevailing 5-3 in the penalty shootout.
According to Jefferies, embracing their underdog status helped free his players from the burden of expectation.
“If I look at all the preparation and the work the boys put in during the week, they were just on another level,” Jefferies told No Bones with Jones. “They were motivated and fired up for this one. We got that important first goal and then they drew level. We scored again and they equalised once more, but we kept our composure, played with heart and, in my opinion, we were just hungrier.
“I must give credit to all the ballers today, but my goalkeeper was my saviour. He did a massive job for us and I’m very proud of every single one of them,” Jefferies concluded.
With a place in the final now just one match away, Blackpool have proven that labels count for little at this stage of the competition. The underdogs are still standing and, judging by this performance, they are not done upsetting the odds just yet.
PHOTO SUPPLIED BY RICARDO SNYMAN/4TH MOMENT
