Alex Gunners FC got a wake-up call when Batlokwa FC scored an opening goal just under 10 minutes into their Alexandra Northrand Local Football Association U17 clash at the Alex Safe Hub on Saturday.

Gunners eventually collected three points with a decisive 6-2 win, but their unsecured backline left them exposed early, and Batlokwa’s Kgothatso Meso quickly capitalised to put the ball in the back of the net.

Gunners coach Lesiba Ditshego said the pain of conceding early was necessary to shake his boys out of their slumber.

“I was laughing because I was happy that they scored first so that we can wake up.

Remember, before they scored, we missed about three chances. So, when they scored, I laughed and said now that they have scored, we need to start working,” he said.

The pain of trailing 1-0 was obvious, and it made Gunners even hungrier for goals.

Vuyo Majola scored their equaliser less than four minutes later. Karabo Seleka’s strike followed soon after, and Lethabo Moatse’s goal marked the end of the first half.

Gunners had built a quick 3-1 lead, and Batlokwa’s players were rattled, allowing Gunners to build up play in the final third.

Gunners’ cutbacks in Batlokwa’s final third kept the visitors under immense pressure and at risk of conceding more.

The aim was to build up play, get into Batlokwa’s half, move the ball quickly into their penalty area and score.

“They follow the instructions. Even the chances they missed, they had first built up play and were already in the box, and this was the instruction that I gave to them,” he said.

By half time, Batlokwa needed instructions of their own to reduce the two-goal deficit in the second half.

But as coach Thabang Mohlala pointed out, they also needed to concentrate more. He attributed the three goals his side conceded to a loss of concentration.

In the second half, he faced two challenges: scoring more and defending better. The latter proved harder, as Gunners kept pressing forward.

Further goals were inevitable. Moatse scored again about 15 minutes into the second half, and teammate Siphesihle Ndaba also put two past Batlokwa’s porous backline, although goalkeeper Lulama Manama tried his best to keep the shots out.

By the time Meso gave Batlokwa their second goal, it was too late for them to recover.

Mohlala, who said he had fielded younger players, said he will need to go back to the drawing board and hopefully fix some of the issues plaguing his team.

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