Bucks sniper gung-ho to pull trigger
LEADING Mthatha Bucks goalscorer Mazwi Mncube will be hoping for a perfect birthday present when his side entertain struggling Magesi FC in a National First Division game at the Mthatha Stadium on Saturday.
Jomo, as Mncube is affectionately known in football circles turns 27 today. He will be eager to celebrate his birthday week by helping Bucks get all three points on Saturday (Kick-off 3.30pm).
And if his recent form is anything to go by, Mncube will be a determining factor between winning or losing against the bottom-of-the-log Magesi FC.
The attacking midfielder has hit the back of the net nine times this season. And if Bucks are to emerge victorious, he will have to be on song.
He said he hopes to play an instrumental role come Saturday’s crucial clash.
“We have to win at all costs,” the birthday boy said.
Jomo is wary of Magesi as they will be eager to start winning and move away from the relegation zone. But Jomo insists that they will emerge as victors.
“We need the results so that we will close the gap between us and the other teams. This will be a mustwin game for us.
“A perfect birthday present would be to help the team win,” he said after training yesterday.
The log is so tight that a win or loss could mean a team is on the top three teams or at the bottom half of the standings.
Bucks were on the receiving end of this when they were beaten 3-2 by Royal Eagles at the weekend.
They went into the game at position six and had they won, the team would be in position four now. But because of the loss, Amathol’amnyama are languishing in position nine with 25 points after 18 games.
The team is four points behind third-placed Eagles – which is a guaranteed playoff spot come the end of the season.
Coach Ian Palmer’s charges are still in with a chance of qualifying for the playoffs and hopefully Premier Soccer League qualification as position two and three are still within their reach.
But if Palmer is to achieve his mandate and qualify the team for the playoffs, his team will have to start being consistent and finish off games.
In the three games that the former Orlando Pirates marksman has been at the helm, he drew 0-0 with Jomo Cosmos, won 2-1 against AmaZulu and lost 3-2 against Eagles.
Bucks will have an opportunity to get back to winning ways when they host Magesi.
When the two sides met at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium on November 5 last year, Magesi held Bucks to a 1-1 draw.
The home side will have an opportunity to get the better of the visitors and steal four points from them.
And with Mthatha passionate fans again expected to rally behind the team, Bucks should have an easy day at the office.
Mncube said had they buried their chances against Eagles on Saturday, they could have been 4-1 up at halftime.
“We’ve been working on our mistakes in training and by the time we play on Saturday, we should have rectified the mistakes and convert the chances we will create,” he said.