The pressure has reached the high volume for Maritzburg United after they dropped to the bottom of the log with just five games to go, but coach Fadlu Davids insists his side have survival in their own hands.
Davids’ side are two points behind 15th-placed Chippa United, who have played a game more and four points behind Swallows and Gallants, with the latter having played two more matches already.
But the former Orlando Pirates co-coach has warned his side that games in hand don’t necessarily mean that they have gained the points, but they have to fight for them.
Gallants, out of all the other teams in the bottom part, have hugely improved since the arrival of Dylan Kerr, reaching the CAF Confederation Cup quarter-final, something that has given them a spring in their steps.
The Limpopo side are unbeaten in seven league matches now, since losing to Orlando Pirates late in January.
Maritzburg, on the other hand, have won only one of their last five, with Sekhukhune giving them a loss in their last game almost two weeks ago, when they fell to the bottom of the table.
But Davids says, when he arrived in November to take over at the club from John Maduka, the club was at the bottom and the advantage is that his players are used to it, unlike other teams.
“We have dealt with the situation in the entire season, that’s where the club has been and [it’s] nothing new to the players,” said Davids.
“The only thing that is different is only five matches remaining, and the good thing is that it is in our hands, in relation to having two games in hand to certain teams, one game in hand to others.
“But games in hand doesn’t guarantee points, we have to go out there and collect the points… But every match that is remaining we have to win.”
Maritzburg’s five matches that are left, two include teams fighting for survival – Swallows and Gallants, and top eight seekers Richards Bay and Stellenbosch FC.
They will close off the season against 2022/23 league winners Mamelodi Sundowns away, who they have not defeated in Pretoria since the 2012/13 season under coach Ernst Middendorp.
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On Friday, they start their route to climb up against a Bay side that is out of form at the moment at Harry Gwala Stadium (19:30), as Vasili Manousakis’ side is without a win in four months. The newbies have lost their last eight matches in all competitions, resulting in them moving out of the top eight.
“We don’t really take the form of the previous matches into consideration, especially when it’s a derby,” insisted Davids.
“Once you enter the four lines, the form doesn’t matter, it goes out of the window. We are expecting to produce a performance that is worthy of the results.”
