Subs aim to have final say in clash with Stars

SWARTKOPS Valley United Brothers (Subs) will leave no stone unturned in their search for victory when they clash with Morning Stars in a Nelson Mandela Bay derby at the NU2 Stadium in Motherwell today (6.30pm).

The two Port Elizabeth semi-professional soccer teams meet for the first encounter in a Safa Eastern Cape ABC Motsepe Second Division match.

Subs have the upper hand after they eliminated Stars in this year’s Nedbank Knockout Cup regional championship.

The Motherwell-based Subs are going into this match bruised after they were beaten 2-0 by Angavu Stars, while Stars drew 2-2 with FC Buffalo during the midweek fixtures.

The points the teams dropped in those matches could be crucial to their title ambitions.

The Second Division league teams will play their last league matches this weekend before the short Christmas break.

Subs manager Wonga Hlelani said they would have to dim the Stars if they wanted to end the year on a high note.

“We are not going to underestimate them because they will want to play for revenge after we knocked them out of the cup competition last month,” he said.

“Stars are our friends but there won’t be any friendship on the battlefield.”

He said the two teams had played in the SAB league before they were promoted but it would be their first match at the semi-professional level.

Stars manager Siyabulela Isaac said Subs were in good form and were playing the better soccer.

“We regard ourselves as the underdogs but won’t let ourselves down and we will not go down easily without a fight,” Isaac said.

“This is a new league game and the cup game was not important to us. What is important is the points, hence the coach will come up with a new plan to beat them.”

Another PE team in the league, Highbury, will host the unpredictable Tornado at the Gelvandale Stadium tonight (7pm).

A wounded Highbury will be trying to redeem themselves after they were beaten 1-0 by league newcomers FC Elliot on Tuesday.

Highbury coach Garth Dickinson said they were still going strong despite registering their first loss of the season.

East London side Tornado recently won the provincial Nedbank Knockout Cup challenge final and qualified for the last 32 of the national competition.

“We will give them the respect they deserve. However, we are not going to give away any points,” Dickinson said.