Thunderbirds ready to take-off
Unbeaten streak must continue as Ayakha lie in wait
THUNDERBIDS coach Thembalethu Apleni wants to maintain their unbeaten run in the Sasol League when they take on Ayakha Stars at the Zamukulungisa in Mthatha today.
The defending league champions have 27 points with a better goal difference than second-placed PortElizabeth-based City Lads, who are also on 27 points after winning all nine games played thus far in the league.
Relegation zone dwellers Highbury have eight points at the bottom of the logstandings, while Manchester Babes are sitting at 15th spot with nine points after one game.
Apleni said their main focus was cementing their presence at the summit of the logstandings because he could see that Lads were gunning for the position.
He said they were prepared for their match against Stars, who were formerly known as Mthatha City.
“We are under pressure because the teams below us are on fire. They are not losing any games, so that means we have to ensure that we win every game in order to stay at the summit of the logstandings.
“We don’t want to lose to any team now, and we are expecting a challenging game against Ayakha Stars because we watched the last game.
“We noticed that they have the firepower and quality players, so we expecting them to come at us guns blazing.”
Apleni said he would be missing the services of winger Inathi Makhaya, who’s been busy with her schoolwork and nursing an injury.
“We have one injury, Inathi Makhaya, and her fitness levels are very low, and the unfortunate part is that she was starting to gel with the others very well because she recently joined us.
“I’m just hoping that we maintain our unbeaten record so far because we’ve been training hard and the rest of the team is fit, so even if they don’t play today, they’ll be ready for the next games, I’m sure.
“And now we have to worry about releasing players for the holiday break, so hopefully they stick to the programme we’ve prescribed for them.”
He said just like all the teams in the Sasol league they too were feeling the “brunt” of the streams that were combined, meaning they have to travel longer distances than was the case previously.
Last season there were two streams: the coastal stream, which had Port Elizabeth-based City Lads, East London-based Birmingham City, and the inland stream included Thunderbirds and Mthatha City (Ayakha Stars).
“We’ve already spent more than R120 000, when I’m calculating the trips when honouring away games, our training, so we are feeling the costs. But then it’s a good cause, for the love of the sport.”
Other fixtures: Amanqilo Birds v Eastern Rangers (Thombo Grounds, PSJ), Eluhewini Ladies v Cumakala (Ntlelengwane PJS School Ground), Executive v City Lads (Mt Ayliff Stadium), Red Roses v Sophakama (Sophia Grounds, Mt Frere), Golden Stars v Birmingham City (P E College, Dower Campus, PE), Highbury v Bashee Eagles (Bridgemead, PE), Manchester Babes v University of Fort Hare (Jabavu Stadium, KwaNobuhle, Uitenhage)