Swallows draw with Stellies on Truter's return

Swallows' poor run of results continued after playing to a dull 1-1 draw against Stellenbosch in the DStv Premiership match at Dobsonville Stadium yesterday.

The match was coach Brandon Truter’s first since he returned from his two-week suspension and after promising that people would see a different Swallows yesterday, he stuck to that as he almost changed the entire team.

But it was not what he had hoped for as his side remain winless in six successive league matches since their 1-0 victory over Royal AM in their opening match.

Truter was suspended after a run of poor results with assistant coach Simo Dladla placed in charge temporarily, but the situation didn’t improve with Truter recalled.

Stellenbosch were hoping to keep their unbeaten run intact. They have been a surprise package this season and came into this match in fourth, level on points with Royal AM.

Swallows didn't show the improvement Truter had promised before. There was not enough energy from the players to win the game, with their confidence still low. Yet they took the match to Stellies and were rewarded two minutes before the interval when Ruzaigh Gamildien broke the deadlock with a tap in from a Teboho Langerman cross.

But their joy was short-lived as Stellenbosch equalised immediately after conceding. David van Rooyen capitalised on poor defending on the stroke of halftime after he connected with an Augustine Dimgba cross.

Truter would have been disappointed with how they conceded the goal, especially after taking the lead just before the interval.

In the second half Swallows continued where they left off in the first stanza, with Stellies happy to sit back and wait for opportunities on the counterattack. They absorbed pressure from Swallows and nearly caught them on the break on a few occasions.

Swallows showed tired legs towards the end of the second half with Stellenbosch finishing the better side even though they didn’t create many chances.

In the end a draw was probably a fair result as both teams didn’t do enough to win the match.

Swallows remained 13th, with six points from seven matches, while Stellies jumped to third.