Local football lovers will descend on Fiddlers Green on Sunday 26 January as Makana Rhini United (Maru) will be playing against the newly promoted New Town City in their derby encounter.
Local football lovers will descend on Fiddlers Green on Sunday 26 January as Makana Rhini United (Maru) will be playing against the newly promoted New Town City in their derby encounter.
New Town City have found their feet in this South African Football Association, Cacadu SAB regional league, showing promise as they adapt to the division.
They have won both their matches this year so far.
They beat Mighty Forest from Port Alfred 3-2 and, over the past weekend, travelled to Bathurst and held United Eleven to a 2-2 draw.
New Town City will come into the game with confidence after their last two results, while Maru come in having lost their previous home game 1-4 against last season's league winners All Star.
However, all is not lost says Maru club official Anga Ngcebetsha.
“That loss was a good wakeup call and it was also good that it happened early in the season”.
Ngcebetsha said the side has been hard at work and have “ forgotten about the mauling they suffered on Saturday”.
He further said that there won’t be any major changes in terms of the players from the team that started last week.
He believes that the whole team just did not pitch in on the day and it was one of those bad days in the office.
A win on Sunday “is a must", says Ngcebetsha if Maru want to pose any serious challenge in the league.
Ngcebetsha said the squad has no injuries, though they will be missing Akhona Nquma and Kwanele Mralaza who have been sent to an unnamed Safa second division side for trials.
“But that will not negatively affect the team as the squad was beefed up during the pre-season,” he said.
New Town City caretaker coach, Thandazile Madinda said their side is the same team which beat Mighty Forest 3-2 in their first match of the year, though Anele Matika is absent, having injured his ankle in training this week.
Madinda said Sunday's will be one of their “toughest games yet,” but went on to say that he is confident New Town City will win the game.
Speaking of Maru's loss over the past weekend Madinda said they will be “like wounded animals,” adding that his side will be up for the challenge.
Ngcebetsha said that while they are keen to win the Cacadu league, if an opportunity comes for their individual players to play for their province, the team won’t stand in their way.
“The club management and technical staff will see if that move will benefit the player in particular and the club in general," he said.
