Published in The Fiji Times on June 30, 1997.
Navua turned the tables on favourites Ba, just a week after humiliating Suva at home.
The surprise 1-0 win at Govind Park on Saturday has stretched the giantkillers lead at the top of the McDonald’s points table.
Youngster Seveci Rokotakala was the toast of the Navua team when he slotted home the only goal of the evenly contested match.
And adding to Ba’s misery was the sending-off of their captain Taito Bula in the 10th minute of the second spell after a crude tackle from behind on Navua’s left link Ritesh Chand.
Bula had been cautioned in the first half for fouling veteran Ratu Suliano Matanitobua.
Ba was laced with national reps but failed to click in the first half as Navua realising the danger from Manoa Masi and Bula posed up front to put a brick wall defence against Ba.
Ratu Suli had the formidable task of containing trim and much filler Bula. The Namosi high chief put on a gutsy performance which in turn fired up the rest of his young brigade.
Captain Saiyad Ali handed his role well, calling the shots and pumping in good balls to his hard working strikers.
Exceptional on the day was Navua goalkeeper Sitiveni Qarua who on many occasions, was left to tackle Masi or Bula.
Qarua made sure he kept the striking pairs name off the score card and did his job superbly.
Just seconds before the breather Taito collected a well timed pass from Keni Doidoi in the Navua penalty box.
Taito did well to beat the Navua defence but the woodwork denied him, giving Navua some relief.
Both teams went for a breather level at nil all.
Both teams showed urgency in their games, much to the excitement of the 2500 people who had gathered to watch the feature match in the FA/McDonald’s League tie.
It was in the tenth minute when Bula brought down Ritesh Chand that he was flashed the feared red card.
Clearly an off the ball incident, the referee did not hesitate as he signalled Bula to leave the field.
With a man down and without captain a captain, Ba team slowly crumbled from constant pressure applied by a rejuvenated Navua team.
Lote Delai cursed himself after losing the ball in his penalty box to Seveci Rokotakala in the 18th minute, who made no mistake in pushing the ball beyond Isikeli Seva’s reach and into the net.
Seveci’s goal sent a small Navua crowd into a frenzy as the Ba fans still tried to figure what hit them.
Almost immediately Ba put on the pressure as Arif and Nair Moving upfield with the hope of penetrating the brick wall Navua defence.
Another Navua lad that shone was Johny Simpson, continuously hassled Lote Deali and Luke Nabaro in Ba’s penalty area.
He was almost rewarded in the 28th minute after controlling a pass from Kameli Kilawaca in the penalty box with seva at his mercy but the expertise and reflexes of Seva prevented him from doing any further damage.
