Hunt finds his voice after Baroka win

Gavin Hunt (right) says Bidvest Wits will have to “go like hell” if they are to win the Absa Premiership this season, but they certainly bounced back in style on Saturday with a 1-0 win at Baroka FC.

The Clever Boys coach was “Mr Monosyllabic” on Wednesday evening after his side had lost 1-0 to Maritzburg United, but found his voice again after Deon Hotto’s strike had seen off Bakgaga.

Hunt was probably cheering even louder a few hours later, as Kaizer Chiefs were beaten at home to Maritzburg – Wits trail Absa Premiership leaders Amakhosi by 12 points, but have three games in hand, and still have to play Chiefs home and away.

“We have to go at more than two points a game, and right now we have 33 points from 17 games,” said Hunt.

“Chiefs, right now, look like they are going to get to 65 points, easy, and that is a problem, we will have to go like hell. Losing Wednesday didn’t help, we could have come here (to Baroka) and played for a point… we have got to win one or two games in a row now.”

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Pitso Mosimane has already said that he wants Wits’ help in the title race, given that they have to play Chiefs twice.

“He’s (Mosimane) been in the game long enough, he knows it more than I do,” said Hunt.

“He said it tongue-in-cheek, it was a joke, it’s all good and I take it as a joke. They are trying to fight a battle in the Champions League and have done well. It is a joke…I like it!”

The Wits coach also praised his players’ efforts against Baroka, in stark contrast to the match against Maritzburg. Wits’ away form has been mostly outstanding for the second season in a row, with the Clever Boys picking up 20 points out of a possible 27 on the road in the 2019/20 campaign.

“The attitude of the players was magnificent. We were poor on Wednesday, I don’t think we deserved to lose…but you get punished if you are not working hard. We had a much better attitude today.”