Tinkler eyeing Top Eight spot for Maritzburg
MARITZBURG United have already set their sights on a top eight Premiership finish as they edge closer to the usual safety zone of a 30-point tally which would mean that they’d be safe from relegation.
Most Premier Soccer League (PSL) teams set 30 points as a benchmark to avoid relegation. The Team of Choice are four points away from that already.
No surprise that coach Eric Tinkler (pictured) is already dreaming about finishing in the top eight. That will be a huge improvement for a team who were almost relegated last season. Maritzburg needed the play-offs to secure their PSL status but they are now in pole position to even finish in the top eight.
“I’m happy with the win,” a jubilant Tinkler said after his team brushed aside Amazulu 1-0 in a Premiership showdown on Friday night at Harry Gwala Stadium in Pietermaritzburg. Thabiso Kutumela netted the winner for the home side as they moved up to sixth place on the log with 26 points after 18 league fixtures.
“The win takes us to 26 points and like I said, we want to create that gap between ourselves and what is below us.
“We want to start looking at the teams above us. The result today was more important that anything else. Getting a win was extremely important,” Tinkler added.
The Team of Choice will battle it out for maximum points in their next two fixtures against Baroka FC and Cape Town City.
“We have two tough games and both of them happen to be against teams that are fighting relegation. They are not going to be easy,” the Maritzburg coach said. “Baroka FC away from home, that will be tough, and then we’ve got Cape Town City at the end of the month.
“I explained to the players the importance of making sure that at home we collect those three points and take a lot of pressure out of ourselves. Once we have created the gap between ourselves and lower placed teams, we can start to worry ourselves about other things,” Tinkler explained.
Maritzburg were in a dire situation last season at an identical stage of the season but they are in a much better place this time around.
“Last season at this stage of the season, we were (on) 12 points after 18 games and to find ourselves 18 games (in) and (on) 26 points is great, but I don’t believe that this season the team that will get relegated will be on 26 or 25 points,” Tinkler said.
“I think it will be on more. To be brutally honest, I think 30 might not even be enough, so we’ve got to keep on working hard and focus and keep on pushing ourselves and climb that table and create distance between ourselves and everybody else.
“I think that will be a fantastic achievement if we can achieve that and find ourselves in the top eight.
“If the confidence keeps on growing, the morale will also grow,” Tinkler concluded.
CAPE Town City used the notorious Cape Doctor to good effect to beat off the challenge of visitors Bidvest Wits and claim a 2-0 victory at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.
The Capetonians’ fourth victory from 19 outings takes their points tally to 20, but they remain in 12th place on the Absa Premiership log.
Wits, who surrendered a seven-game unbeaten run on the road, remain fourth on 30, 12 shy of pace-setters Kaizer Chiefs but with three games in hand over Amakhosi.
The Citizens were no match for the south-easter at their backs in the first half.
A number of their players surrendered possession way too easily which handed the advantage to the Clever Boys, who blew their goal-scoring chances, two in the opening five minutes.
The roles were reversed in the second half but City to their credit made the most of their chances to score twice through striker Kermit Erasmus and wing Craig Martin.
Erasmus stands on eight goals after being in the right place at the right time to stab the ball past Wits goalkeeper Ricardo Goss after defender Taariq Fielies’ effort had deflected into his path off the left upright.
“We showed character in a very difficult game,” said the Bafana Bafana marsksman.
“We showed determination and came out tops. It’s nice to score again after coming through a tough challenge injury-wise. The important thing is we got three points.”
Martin doubled the advantage in the closing stages after receiving a defence-splitting pass from wing Bradley Ralani.
Midfielder Thabo Nodada missed a penalty after captain Thami Mkhize was brought down.
Play was held up for several minutes after a host of Wits players surrounded referee Masixole Bambiso, a couple making contact with him.
Maybe that played a part in Nodada mucking up as his low shot that was easily saved.
But it was a commanding 45-minute display from a side that has struggled all season long.
For their Dutch coach Jan Olde Riekerink, it was a second win in eight games to go with three draws and three losses.
“We dominated our opponents and deserved to win,” he said.
“We created chances and that’s what I want to see from my players. They played well after we regrouped. We dealt with the space, we dealt with the ball and we combined well. That’s what we’re about.
“Yes, it was windy but when the ball is on the ground, it has less effect. We spoke about this before the game and did what we wanted to do.”
It was a sorry evening for
Wits coach Gavin Hunt and his charges.
“We should have been out of sight in the first half, scored three or four, but never did. That’s how it goes for us,” he said.
“As for the officiating, you know me, I’m not going to say anything other than we all saw it.”