Gruelling Safa-NMB SAB double-headers await

WITH many players still recovering from the festive season break, all the teams in the Safa-NMB SAB league face a gruelling double-header for the second successive week.

Log-leaders NMMU, who scored a flattering 5-1 win over Royal Bucks last Sunday after playing to a goalless draw the previous day, play Motherwell Academy at the NU2 Stadium tomorrow and host Central Acemates at their Second Avenue campus on Sunday.

The students were unimpressive against Bucks and the score was not a reflection of their performance. Bucks deserved a share of the points.

“We will be depending on our inspirational captain Claudius Sagandira to stay ahead of the pack,” NMMU sport manager Mark Tommy said.

“Some of the fields in the league present serious challenges and are not conducive to good football.

“All the teams are struggling and in many cases the fields make the results unpredictable,” he said.

“Often the outcome [of the matches] is determined by the bounce of the ball.

“Hence there are no easy matches, but we are determined to build on our lead.”

Fairview Rovers, who have made a disastrous start to the year, losing both their matches so far, play Ikamva Movers on Marock Road and Island City at the Jubilee fields in Uitenhage.

The games will not be easy.

Movers also lost both their opening matches and will be keen to pick up their first points of the year, while City are unbeaten in their two matches.

The fixtures are: Tomorrow: Mabayibone Strikers v PE Sundowns (Walmer High), Despatch Pioneers v Golden Aces (Khayamnandi), Highland Spurs v Showvillage United Brothers (Jabavu Stadium), Fairview Rovers v Ikamva Movers (Marock Road), Camper United v Island City (NU9 Stadium), Central Acemates v Hearts (Wesbourne Oval), Motherwell Academy v NMMU Madibaz (NU2 Stadium), Royal Bucks v Young Cosmos (NU9 Stadium). Sunday: Golden Aces v Mabayibone Strikers (Zwide Stadium), Showvillage United Brothers v Despatch Pioneers (NU2 Stadium), Ikamva Movers v Highland Spurs (NU2 Stadium), Island City v Fairview Rovers (Jubilee Grounds), Hearts v Camper United (Saints, Gevandale), NMMU Madibaz v Central Acemates (Second Avenue), Young Cosmos v Motherwell Academy (Walmer High), PE Sundowns v Royal Bucks (New Brighton Oval).