Debut Delight: Plaatjies’ hat-trick seals first win for Stellies
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Debut Delight: Plaatjies’ hat-trick seals first win for Stellies
Aug 14, 2026 – 09:31 pm
By Kickoff Reporter
Youngster Quwan Plaatjies registered a hat-trick on debut and helped Stellenbosch FC secure a 3-1 victory over Marumo Gallants FC in the Betway Premiership on Friday evening.
Fixture: Stellenbosch FC v Marumo GallantsScore: 3-1Goalscorers: Plaatjies (13′, 28′, 54′) / Dhludhlu (81′)
With no wins recorded after the opening two matches, the Maroons had their work cut out – looking to get off the mark as the host come off a thrilling draw against Polokwane City while Bahlabane Ba Ntwa were held by the newly-promoted Kruger United in midweek.
The Maroons made the perfect start in the 13th minute as Plaatjies stepped inside the edge of the box and opened his body to curl into the bottom-corner to open his top flight account on debut.
Plaatjies’ dream outing continued two minutes before the half-hour mark after he entered the box to head past Kagiso Mlambo following a pin-point cross by Raoul Daniels who had taken Siphosakhe Ntiya-Ntiya to the cleaners.
Bahlabane Ba Ntwa decided to freshen up their stall from the first half ahead of the resumption and a trio of substitutions saw Khumbulani Ncube, Marvin Sikhosana and Edgar Manaka come on the park.
The Maroons carried the momentum into the second half as Plaatjies made another late run to connect with a cross from Daniels and headed home and completed his hat-trick.
Gallants came close to pulling a goal back with a firm header in the heart of the area by Ncube following a first-time cross, but the defender’s effort went narrowly wide of the goal of Sage Stephens.
The chances continued to come in the closing quarter when a half-volley on the edge of the area by Monde Mphambaniso was cleared off the goal-line with Stephens completely out of sight.
Bahlabane Ba Ntwa were rewarded following persistent pressure ten minutes to the end after Thapelo Dhludhlu charged in on the near side to pounce on a parry back into play by Stephens and fired into the top corner.
The game became open in the final minutes towards full-time, but there was no further goals from either side as the Maroons secured their first win of the campaign whilst the visitors suffered their first loss.