Tyren Arendse © Backpagepix

Santos and Chippa United failed to find a way past each other as they played out to a 0-0 draw at Athlone on Wednesday night.

The game started slowly, with Santos enjoying more time on the ball and keeping their opponents pinned back into their own half.

It was Chippa’s Roscoe Pietersen however who got the first chance of the game on two minutes when he burst through the centre of the park before dragging a shot wide.

The Peoples’ Team had their first real effort through Erwin Isaacs, but he couldn’t score from a tight angle.

Tyren Arendse then provided Chippa goal keeper Tashrique Goldman with his first test, the former Maritzburg keeper having to tip the ball over the bar after a well-struck shot from 25-yards.

At the other end, Santos keeper Pa Demba Touray was called into action in the 23rd minute when he palmed Mfundo Shumana’s scorcher onto the roof of the net, two minutes later also saving from the same players’ curling effort.

Petrus Ngebo should have put the Chilli Boys ahead eight minutes before the end of the first half, but having been put through on goal from Buyani Sali, he slotted wide with only Touray to beat.

The second half remained fast-paced and open, with play switching from end to end.

The first noteworthy action of the second half came in the 48th minute when Shabangu went down in the Chippa box, but his penalty claim was turned down.

The game remained even until around the hour mark, when Chippa began to get on top of proceedings.

Andile Mbenyane was at the forefront of their efforts, coming close with a free kick in the 70th minute and having a subsequent drive go whistling past the post.

The match ended up with Santos on the attack, with Isaacs having several chances to win the game, the best of which saw him hitting the post with two minutes to go.