The PSL promotion race...on paper
WITH their desperately unlucky 2-1 loss against a totally outplayed JDR Stars on Sunday, and a 1-0 defeat the previous Wednesday to TS Sporting after two glaring chances were spurned, Richards Bay FC have dropped to second place on the GladAfrica Championship log.
This in no way means their chances of automatic promotion are over, and with two games left for all clubs - on 16 and 23 May - it is looking more and more like the final promotion and relegation candidates will only be known when the season’s last whistle blows.
Technically, any one of five teams could still be outright winners and go straight to the PSL, while seven sides can still end in the promotion play-offs by finishing in second or third place.
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Here’s how it pans out on paper, based on current log positions:
• Royal AM are on 47 points; two wins will see them to a maximum, unbeatable 53 points. However, they must play Pretoria University and Cape Town All Stars – both no easy pickings, so six points are not guaranteed
• Richards Bay (45 pts) can get to 51 points by beating Jomo Cosmos and Steenberg United
• Sekhukhune (44 pts) can get to maximum 50 points; they play Polokwane and JDR Stars
• TS Sporting (43 pts) could reach 49 if they triumph over Uthongathi
and Pretoria Callies
• JDR Stars (43 pts) can also max out at 49 if they are victorious over Steenberg and Sekhukhune
Free State Stars (41 pts), should they beat Cape Town Spurs and Polokwane, can get to 47 points
Cape Umoya (40 pts) can get to 46 if they triumph over Cape Town All Stars and Jomo Cosmos
So, while there is a bit of despondency in town right now, it’s going to be an unbelievably exciting end to a season that has been thrilling and unpredictable from day one. And let’s not forget that there could also be drawn games, which means one point to each side.
There’s no way Richards Bay will throw in the towel; they will go all the way.
I’m a believer!
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