Shamrocks’ safety hinges on Rangers
Shamrocks Football Club’s safety in the Northern Areas Football Association premier league will hinge on whether Rangers can hold their nerve in their remaining three games.
With a possible nine points on offer, Rangers will be hoping to ensure their own safety by winning at least two of those matches.
Only four matches were scheduled for the final weekend of September, with relegation-threatened teams fighting for safety.
Shamrocks lost 2-1 to Ramblers on Sunday. A day earlier, Ramblers went down to Celtic.
Sunday’s win ensured they would spend another season in the premier league.
The two remaining matches of the weekend saw walkovers in the Fairview Rovers v Saints and the Wolves v Rangers fixtures.
Shamrocks have one game left, against Ramblers, with the most points they can finish on being 32. Rangers, however, know what they need to do if they are to condemn the Malabar side to relegation.
Rangers’ three games in hand are against Bloom Callies, Stardrift and reigning champions West Lake.
Sitting on 27 points, two wins would be enough to secure their place in the league next season.
Premier league action will take a break this week as selected Nafa teams compete in League Football Association tournaments.
Five age-group teams from the Northern Areas Football Association will do battle against four other league football associations from across the country at the inaugural national inter-LFA tournament in Kimberley.
The tournament, which got under way on Thursday, features LFA teams from soccer regions including East London, hosts Kimberley and two from Cape Town.
Age divisions range from under 12, 14, 16, and 18 to seniors who will compete for national LFA honours.
Nafa office administrator Shadia George said the tournament was started almost a decade ago as a way of giving players the experience of travelling around SA to play football.
The Nafa contingent features 110 players who will play across divisions, with each team playing two games a day.
The knockout rounds will be contested over the weekend.
In the junior section, teams will be divided into two groups of four, while the senior section will feature just one group of five teams.
Elsewhere, the Safa Nelson Mandela Bay regional inter LFA tournament is also ongoing with Nafa teams from the U11,13,15, 17 and senior teams in action.
In the senior semifinal, the Nafa team will take on the Walmer LFA on Sunday morning, while the U17 team will face the New Brighton LFA in their final, also on Sunday.