Birds clip their own wings against Chiefs

At the FNB Stadium Kaizer Chiefs (1) 2 Ngcobo 20 Parker 84 Moroka Swallows (0) 2 Solomons (pen) 63, 70 (pen)

THE Dstv Premiership status that has been precarious for most of the season remains uncertain for Swallows FC who will now have to contest the play-offs against two sides from the Gladafrica Championship.

The Birds finished the season in the 15th spot they’d occupied for a significant part of the campaign following this draw.

On their chairman David Mogashoa’s birthday, Swallows failed to use the occasion as inspiration to shine, the fact they were ahead late in the match notwithstanding.

Dillan Solomons must have thought he had ensured Swallows’ stay up in the elite league when he converted two penalties within 10 minutes after two handballs by Kaizer Chiefs.

First Phathutshedzo Nange blocked the ball with his hand on the goal line and referee Masixolo Bambiso pointed to the spot and then changed his mind after consulting his assistant Moeketsi Molelekoa.

The whistleman then incredibly went back to his original decision and sent Nange off.

Solomons converted to get the Birds level and a few minutes later he again beat Bruce Bvuma for the lead.

Swallows then conceded a free kick which Bernard Parker slotted home for a 2-2 draw that meant the Birds will have top contest the play-offs.

Amakhosi earlier led 1-0 courtesy of Njabulo Ngcobo’s headed goal on 20 minutes following what had appeared an innocuous attack by the home side only for the Swallows defence to be caught napping.

Stung by the goal, the Birds came close to restoring parity on numerous occasions, with Mwape Musonda heading over when finding the target appeared easier.

Kamohelo Mahlatsi saw his curling shot from inside the box go inches off Bvuma’s goal before the Chiefs goalkeeper parried a shot away as the home side’s rearguard held on under pressure.

Whenn the referee blew for half time, Swallows coach Dylan Kerr – strangely wearing shorts in the freezing

Highveld conditions – sprinted to the dressing room where he must have made his players aware of the dire situation they will find themselves in should they continue to pussy-foot about instead of making their dominance count.

And things got better for Swallows in the second stanza, although Chiefs’ marking appeared somewhat lax than it was in the initial 45 minutes.

The two handballs would have been avoided had they worked hard to restrict the opposition to long shots as

they had done in the first half.

But then they got clumsy at the back and gifted Chiefs a set piece that the stalwart Parker put to good use and leave Swallows having to try to rescue their status in the play-offs.