Time to sort men from boys

Relegation a possibility for some of the teams

WHILE all eyes will be on the top-ofthe-table clash between EC Bees and Future Tigers, the battle for survival continues as the ABC Motsepe League comes to an end today. FC Buffalo, the lowest-ranked Buffalo City team on the log, have a date with Mdantsane Mighty Bucks at Jan Smuts Stadium in East London.

FC Buffalo in 13th place, have 25 points – three points ahead of the bottom-three – so, for them to survive relegation, they will have to at least secure a point today.

FC Buffalo have improved their form in recent games, after at one stage going nine games without a win, so they should have enough in them to at least hold the 10th-placed Mdantsane outfit to a draw.

A win for Bucks will not mean anything, which might result in fringe players being given a run today.

At Zwide Stadium in Port Elizabeth, bottomplaced Morning Stars will be banking on home ground advantage to earn them a victory against Matta Milan.

The Chippa Ngqolomba-owned Stars will have to go all out today and hope that Highbury will do them a favour by beating Young Ideas.

For the past two seasons Stars should have been relegated, but were either saved by Mthatha Bucks being promoted to the National First Division – or something else.

Will this be the year that Stars, who are proving to have nine lives, finally get the chop? Theywill be hoping that either EC Bees or Future Tigers will emerge victorious in the play-offs – and play in the NFD next season.

Tied with Stars on 22 points, Ideas, who are second from bottom, will be determined to get maximum points against Highbury at Gelvandale Stadium in the northern areas of Port Elizabeth.

Ideas know that a draw might not be enough as Stars will be looking for three points in their game. Ideas will want to keep their fate in their own hands and a win will guarantee them safety, irrespective of how Stars play against Milan.

Tornado travel to the NU2 Stadium in Motherwell, Port Elizabeth for a showdown with the unpredictable Swartkops Valley United Brothers (Subs).

The Mdantsane side go into the game, with nothing much to play for, as they will likely end the season in fifth position on 52 points.

That is dependent on if they win their game against Subs and Mthatha City lose against Walter Sisulu University at Ibika Campus Stadium in Butterworth.

However, City will be eager to hold on to their fourth position on the log – and a draw away to the students will be enough to achieve that.

Ninth-placed City Lads will visit Matatiele Professionals at the Thandanani Stadium in Matatiele.

Both outfits will not win the league – or be relegated – but a win for Lads will result in them knocking Professionals out of the top-eight bracket.

Both teams will want to finish the season on a high but playing at home, the Matatiele team should emerge victorious.

In another Nelson Mandela Bay derby, thirdplaced Lion City will play against Callies at the Saints.

Both sides have played well this season but City should easily dispatch the young Callies side that is placed at position six.

Then it will be the big one at the Bhisho Stadium where the team to represent the Eastern Cape in the play-offs will be decided between Bees and Tigers.

Tigers only need one point to confirm their participation in the play-offs, while Bees are motivated by their impressive record of never losing against their opponents.

Whichever way the game goes, fans are surely in for a cracking game.

Kick-off is at 3pm in all the games.