Varsity Football Wrap

Varsity Football newcomers CUT claimed the only victory of the round as they marked their first home game with a hard fought 2-1 victory over Wits in front of a boisterous Bloemfontein crowd.   Defending champions UWC saved themselves from an embarrassing defeat in Alice when they scored an added time equaliser to crush UFH's hopes of bagging a first-ever victory.   A UJ penalty just seven minutes from time saw then snatch a 1-1 draw against early pacesetters TUT while just down the road, the clash of the Titans between UP-Tuks and NWU-Mafikeng ended in an exciting goalless draw.   CUT 2-1 Wits   There was nothing to choose from between the sides in the opening 10 minutes until a swift counter-attack got the home side on the scoresheet. A long ball from CUT goalkeeper Zolani Ligunya was not dealt with by the Wits defence. Up popped prolific striker Orapeleng Manopole who showed great strength before sliding the ball under Brylon Pietersen in the Wits goal.   The Wits defence was struggling to come to grips with CUT's pace up front while they failed to create any clear-cut chances throughout the half as the home side held on for the narrow lead at the break.   Wits came out firing and got themselves level in the 54th minute when a lapse in concentration allowed Saluleko Mathonsi to pounce on a loose ball and toe-poke it into the net. The game opened up from that point with both teams creating more chances.   CUT found their reward, much to the jubilation of the fanatic home crowd, in the 67th minute. Manopole whipped in a corner and Abrahm Singozo beat Pietersen to the ball to head home from the six-yard box. The home side kept pushing forward but failed to add to their tally as the match came to an exciting end.   UP-Tuks 0-0 NWU-Mafikeng   Both sides pushed hard to gain the early ascendancy before the first chance fell to Tuks, however, Amogelang Maduo was up to the challenge as he blocked the attempt in the 25th minute. Mafikeng came close in the 38th minute but a powerful strike hit the post, much to the relief of Tuks goalkeeper Dylan Paterson.   Neither side was able to get the all-important opener and went goalless into the break.   The visitors pestered the Tuks defence in the second half but failed to convert any of the numerous chances they created. Paterson was called into action in the 63rd minute when he stopped a sensational NWU effort.   Tuks pushed hard to find a late winner but it was not meant to be as the sides were forced to settle for a share of the spoils.   TUT 1-1 UJ   There was not much to choose form between the sides in the opening 45 minutes as they battled it out for midfield dominance. Both sides created a number of chances but the finishing was not up to par.   The inability to find the back of the net meant the sides went deadlocked into half-time.   The match remained in the balance for the majority of the second half as they teams continued to wrestle for dominance. It seemed that neither side had brought their shooting boots with but that changed in the 78th minute.   Sipho Sibiya got the home crowd on their feet in the 73rd minute when he got onto the end of a Tumelo Mowa free-kick to break the deadlock. The home side were their own worst enemies just 10 minutes later when they conceded a penalty.   Tshepo Tolo held his nerve to bring his side level and that proved to be crucial as neither side were able to find a winner in the closing minutes.   UFH 1-1 UWC   UWC began strongly but came away with nothing as UFH were able to keep them at bay before a controversial decision went the way of the home side. An attempted UFH cross came off a UWC shoulder, however, the referee disagreed and pointed to the spot. Andile Batyi calmly slotted the ball into the net to send the home crowd into ecstasy.   Despite being ahead, UFH's defensive effort defied logic. They looked unorganised and their clearances were scrappy, yet they somehow managed to not concede and held onto their lead at the interval.   UWC came out fighting and took the game to the home side from the resumption of play and could have levelled matters in the 50th minute but Thulani Nkosi missed the target from inside the six-yard box after UFH goalkeeper Mangona Phakamani spilt the ball.   It was all downhill for the defending champions from that point as they lost Eathon Swart to a red card in the 76th minute. Despite being a man down, UWC kept pressing for the equaliser and it came in the fourth minute of added time when substitute Akhona Cawe bundled the ball home after Phakamani failed to deal with a curling free-kick.