* Tying on 19 points with leaders Silver and third-placed Red Lions
* The TNM Super League debutantes record two emphatic away wins
* Beat Chitipa United and Karonga United both at 3-1
* Silver dislodge Red Lions from the top through goal difference
By Duncan Mlanjira
TNM Super League debutantes, Ekwendeni Hammers travelled to Karonga and came back with full six points having beaten Chitipa United and Karonga United — both at 3-1 goal margins — to torpedo themselves to second place.
They tie on 19 points with leaders Silver Strikers — both from nine games of six wins, one draw and two losses but are separated by goal difference (the Bankers at 14 goals with the Hammers at 10).
The Hammers have scored a total of 17 goals, conceded seven while Silver have 21 against 7.
Ekwendeni Hammers celebrate scoring against
Karonga United
The two also tie on 19 points with last week’s leaders, Red Lions, who have played 10 games of five wins, four draws and one loss in which they have scored 14 goals and conceded 10 to be pushed to third place.
Lilongwe-based Mafco hosted and beat Kasungu-based TN Stars 2-1 to move from 7th place to fourth, tying on 16 points with Civil Service but having better goal difference — five for Mafco and four for Civil Service.
Karonga United v Ekwendeni
Champions Nyasa Big Bullets maintain the 8th place after they drew 1-1 with Ntopwa FC last weekend. They played seven games of three wins, three draws and one loss to garner 12 points.
Woes continue for Mighty Be Forward Wanderers, who drew 0-0 with 15th-placed Tigers FC to be pushed from 11th to 12th position. They have seven points from seven games played of three wins, three draws, one loss in which they have scored five goals and conceded the same number.
The Nomads join four other teams to try and extricate themselves away from the relegation zone — 13th-placed Moyale; Mzuzu Warriors (14); Tigers FC (15) and Chitipa United (16).
Chitipa United v Moyale
Moyale have six points; Mzuzu Warriors and Tigers tie on six points while Chitipa United have four points, three of which came from their first win in nine games — 3-1 win over Moyale Barracks.
Chitipa v Moyale.—Action pictures by Robert
Mbetewa
Last weekend’s full results:
* Blue Eagles 0 Silver Strikers 1 (Staine Davie)
* Chitipa United 1 (Bob Longwe) Ekwendeni Hammers 3 (Clever Kaira, Sammy Phiri, Maneno Nyoni)
* Mafco FC 2 (Stain Malata, Alexander Sikwambe) TN Stars 1 (Chiletso Zoya)
* Karonga United 1 (Crispin Mhangana) Ekwendeni Hammers 3 (Zikani Kasambara (2) Mabuchi Msiska)
* Civil Service FC 3 (Muhammad Sulumba (2) Ranken Mwale) Red Lions 3 (Chikoti Chirwa, Ronald Pangani, Paul Kansungwi)
* Nyasa Big Bullets 1 (Hassan Kajoke) Ntopwa FC 1 (Hendricks Misinde)
* Blue Eagles 0 Red Lions 0
* Chitipa United 3 (Matthews Sibale, Alex Chipala, Muhammad Biason) Moyale 2 (Clifford Fukizi, Hassan Upindi)
* TN Stars 1 (Laurent Banda) Kamuzu Barracks 3 (Davie Banda, Marshall Maluwa, Zeliat Nkhoma)
* Be Forward Wanderers 0 Tigers FC 0
Royal Bokosi voted December player the month
Meanwhile, Red Lions goalscoring expert, Royal Bokosi has become the first recipient of the revived TNM Super League ‘Player of the Month’ award for December for his outstanding performance.
Bokosi announced his return to the TNM Super League after a one-year stint in the second-tier Thumps Up Southern League Football League with a stunning hat-trick against the champions, Nyasa Big Bullets in a thrilling match that ended three-all at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre a few weeks ago.
He is the leading goal scorer with six goals from 10 matches his team has played so far.
Bokosi (2nd left) is proving a handful to defenders
Royal, young brother to former Red Lions striker, Innocent Bokosi, is proving to become a handful to most defenders this season.
“I am very happy that I have been named player of the month of December and to me this is an encouragement to continue working hard to get more goals.
“This has given an opportunity to prove myself that I can do it by scoring more,” he said after receiving his award.
Bokosi promised to continue bagging goals for his team and aim at winning top goal scorer award at the end of the season.
During the 3-3 match against Civo on Saturday, he provided two assists for his side.—Additional reporting on Bokosi by Tione Andsen, MANA
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