MILTON COMES OF AGE

Sport
DESPITE going on a 5-match winless streak, Highlanders midfielder Milton Ncube has become the only player to find the net for Bosso in the last six games.

DESPITE going on a five-match winless streak, Highlanders attacking midfielder Milton Ncube has raised the Bulawayo giants’ hopes of a comeback, rising above the blunt strike force to become the only player to find the net for Bosso in the last six games.

Fortune Mbele Sports Reporter

Milton has scored five goals for Highlanders since May 26 and on Sunday, when Chicken Inn seemed headed for a double over Bosso, the former Motor Action midfielder struck with a gem of a goal to level the scores on 1-1 for Bosso to salvage a point from the GameCox.

Bosso have dropped to the third spot on the log standings with 31 points, at par with second-placed Dynamos and Chicken Inn on the fourth spot, chasing after log leaders Harare City on 34 points.

But it has been Milton, who has hogged the limelight for Highlanders, notwithstanding the lean spell, and could be moved upfront to play as a striker as head coach Kelvin Kaindu has said he will have to make do with what is available.

He is the only player to have scored for Bosso in close to two months. Beaven Chikaka scored the winner on May 26 against Black Mambas.

The attacking midfielder was mobbed by hundreds of Highlanders supporters on Sunday at Barbourfields Stadium, who paid tribute to the player for his indelible performance. On May 26, when Highlanders beat Black Mambas at BF in a league match, Milton was on target with a flashing header past goalkeeper Tonderai Mateyaunga to score the first goal. He scored the solitary goal when Highlanders beat Hwange at the Colliery on June 2 and that was the last win for Bosso.

A well-struck free-kick on June 22 by Milton earned Bosso the consolation goal when they lost to Caps United at the National Sports Stadium. Bosso lost 3-1 in a penalty shoot-out to FC Platinum in the quarter-final of the BancABC Sup8r Cup on June 29 and Milton was the only Highlanders scorer of the spot-kick. His latest cancelled Chicken Inn Kudakwashe Mahachi’s goal on Sunday at BF for Bosso to earn a point.

But credit for Sunday’s match should go to the Highlanders midfield that was marshaled by Simon Munawa, who had a good game with Mthulisi Maphosa, Bhekimpilo Ncube and Heritani Masuku.

Kaindu’s hope is now on young Gabriel Nyoni who returned to Highlanders from Division One side Bulawayo Chiefs and played about 25 minutes on Sunday after replacing ineffective Njabulo Ncube. Mahachi has also been in good form for Chicken Inn after scoring against Bosso in the first half of the season and returning to haunt the Bulawayo giants on Sunday.

After losing to Black Rhinos last week, FC Platinum beat Motor Action on Saturday at Mandava Stadium and took advantage of Caps United’s draw to Hwange at the Colliery on Sunday to leap to position five on the log table with 29 points.

Shabanie Mine also kept the relegation fight alive with a 2-0 win over Black Mambas at Maglas Stadium while How Mine dropped three points in Chiredzi, losing 2-1 to Triangle.