SIX matches played, five won, one lost and 15 points in the bag.
BY FORTUNE MBELE
That is the Chicken Inn story in the first six games of the 2015 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League that has buoyed them to the top of the log standings after Triangle lost their first game to Flame Lily while champions Dynamos were held to a goalless draw by Harare City.
The GameCocks beat a clueless How Mine side 1-0 at Luveve Stadium on Saturday through a Tafadzwa Kutinyu header.
Dynamos are on 14 points while Triangle are on the third spot with 13 and after round seven of the league programme it could be a different story altogether.
But the defining moment for Chicken Inn comes in their next assignment when they hit the road to Harare for DeMbare in their next assignment in Match Day Seven when Triangle will be hosting Harare City in the Lowveld at Gibbo.
Chicken Inn held Dynamos in Harare in June last year and played another draw in the back-to-back fixture at Barbourfields in August.
After beating How Mine on Saturday, coach Joey Antipas said: “We just have to keep level-headed. We have to keep our heads on our shoulders and not get carried away.”
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Striker Edmore Chirambadare grabbed from newcomers Tsholotsho, troubled How Mine defenders and the 23-year-old forward has proved his mettle in top flight so far having banged in three of Chicken Inn’s nine goals.
He could have scored against How Mine, but was a bit wasteful in front of the goalmouth.
Another new acquisition Mitchelle Katsvairo and Clemence Matawu are adding to Chicken Inn’s aggressive attack.
How Mine, with all stars Charles Sibanda, Limited Chikafa, Kuda Musharu and Benjamin Marere in the starting line-up and playing a 3-5-2 formation appeared clueless against Chicken Inn with Chikafa playing as an out-and-out striker and Musharu rather deep with a congested midfield that had Wonder Sithole, Sibanda, Marere with veteran Menard Mupera as anchorman.
Coach Luke Masomere said How Mine struggled and will try to come up with better combinations in their next game against Whawha at Luveve.
The gold miners dropped from position four to six with nine points from two wins, three draws after suffering their first defeat of the season to Chicken Inn.
Highlanders got their third win of the season, beating Dongo Sawmill 1-0 at Vengere Stadium on Sunday.
The win catapulted them from position eight to four, five points behind Chicken Inn as they host Caps United in their next outing.
Tsholotsho dropped one place to position eight with eight points after a goalless draw with Buffaloes on Sunday at Luveve and their next game is against Chapungu at Ascot. The airmen were held to a goalless draw by Hwange at Ascot on Sunday.
FC Platinum have kept faith in head coach Norman Mapeza despite suffering his fourth defeat of the season, falling to new boys Whawha 1-2 at Ascot on Saturday. Platinum are wallowing on position four from the bottom with just four points from a win and a draw and will have to up their game against Tsholotsho in their next home assignment at Mandava on Friday.
The game was supposed to be screened live on SuperSport from 1pm, but has now been pushed back to 3pm without live coverage.
SuperSport will this weekend cover two matches: How Mine and Hwahwa at Barbourfields on Saturday before the match of the weekend featuring Highlanders and Caps United at the same venue 24 hours later.
Top scorers after Week Six 5-Rapheal Manuvire (ZPC Kariba) 4-Artwell Nyamiwa (ZPC Kariba) 3-Edmore Chirambadare (Chicken Inn), Richard Kawondera, Lameck Nhamo (Triangle), Walter Musona, Donald Ngoma (FC Platinum), 2- Hillary Bakacheza, Pascal Manhanga (Triangle), Lynoth Chikuhwa (Tsholotsho), Ronald Chitiyo (Dynamos), Clement Matawu (Chicken Inn), Milton Muponda (Flame Lily), Roderick Mutuma (Caps United), Dexter Phiri (ZPC Kariba), Evans Rusike (Hwange), Roy Useni (Whawha), Martin Vengesai (Harare City)
