Durban — Polokwane City hammered Pretoria Callies 4-0 at the Old Peter Mokaba on Sunday to seal automatic promotion to the DStv Premiership.
Rise and Shine dramatically pipped both Cape Town Spurs and Casric Stars to top the table and returned to the top flight after a three year absence.
Spurs scored a stoppage-time equaliser to rescue a useless point against the University of Pretoria as the two sides played out a 1-1 draw at the Athlone Stadium.
Spurs, led by Shaun Bartlett, started the day in the driver’s seat at the top of the league standings and knew they could decide their own fate with a victory against AmaTuks.
Polokwane City started like a house on fire and scored four goals in the opening stanza, led by inspirational captain Pulane Tlolane.
The news of Polokwane City’s first-half performance in Limpopo would've reached Bartlett’s Spurs’ and upped the pressure.
Visiting Tuks did not make it easy for Spurs and when Samuel Julies scored a scorching free-kick in the final 10 minutes, Spurs knew they were play-off bound.
Spurs would've been the most disappointed of the three sides as they failed to capitalise on their pre-game advantage and will now have to shake off their blues in preparation for another route to the promised land.
Meanwhile, at the Tsakane Stadium, Casric Stars, who began the day in second place, were held to a 2-2 by All Stars and dropped to third.
Stars quickly found themselves with a mountain to climb as they conceded two goals inside 30 minutes. Although they came to life in the second half, they could not find the winner.
Stars will have to dust themselves up quickly and prepare for the promotion-relegation play-offs. Both Stars and Spurs will wait to find out which DStv Premiership side they will face when the play-offs commence on May 28.
IOL Sport