National First Division Update – Part 2

The Cape coast view

Glad Africa Championship

From KZN, down the East Coast of the Cape provinces are Bizana Pondo Chiefs, from Bizana, Eastern Cape. The newly promoted side are the current national ABC Motsepe League Champions. Young chairman, young coach, young players, all inexperienced at Glad Africa Championship level are finding the PSL tide hard to skate. In the 13 league matches that they’ve played so far, they’re unbeaten at home (3 wins and 3 draws), but winless and drawless away. 7 losses on the trot away, 2 goals scored and 13 conceded is no-good record. Chairman of the club did the unthinkable at the beginning of the season by keeping all the squad which won the club promotion, but lack of experience forced him to look for Musa Bilankulu mid-way and Abia Nale, as unfavorable results were beginning to catching up with them on the field. New travelling experiences, hotels, professionalism, proper officiating might have overwhelmed the Eastern Cape side at the beginning of the season but they’ve not been outplayed or overwhelmed on the field. They have a strong fight in them which makes them hard to beat. Sitting bottom of the log at this stage may prove to be a tough ask for the new boys, but without a proper away record, it may be a tough ask to ask.

Further down towards the west of the Cape are Cape Town Spurs, Cape Umoya United, Cape Town All Stars, and Steenberg United. It is almost unbelievable that out of the 4 Western Cape sides, not a single one is challenging for promotion at this stage.

Last season runners-up, Spurs are second from bottom. Poor form has led to a coaching change and brought back experienced son, Ian Taylor and legend Nathan Paulse. Both are no strangers at the club as they’ve served before under its previous name, Ajax Cape Town, as assistant coach and player. Paulse was promoted from the under 19s, and have also seen most of his u/19 boys promoted to the first team. Although, they have young player at their disposal, there’s also an experienced Junior Sibande & Buyani Sali, who have seen the PSL light before. 1 win at home, two draws and three defeats make Spurs to bear the worse home record in the league so far. Overall, Spurs have the worse defensive record of 20 goals conceded after 13 matches and have 13 points. Despite the resources at their disposal, Spurs have not shown last season’s great form which took them to playoffs, and neither has their main man Abednigo on fire.

Steenberg United, currently seated 3rd from bottom are also in the struggles of their own. Winless away from home, one draw and five losses explain their current position. Another side with a coaching change, the club released former Bafana international Nasief Morris as their coach. Steenberg United are short of confidence and inspiration to turn the fortunes around. It’d take a change of attitude away from home from them in order to move from the bottom half.

Cape Umoya United are the most experienced side in the league. From the coaching department to players, they’re a “perfect” outfit. One of the two unbeaten sides at home, Cape Umoya biggest disappointment should be their inconsistencies. Their last win was in January at home against struggling side Bizana Pondo Chiefs, and since then, it has been 4 draws and 1 loss, plus a cup defeat. Their quest for promotion relies on their experienced players to motivate themselves and turn these draws in wins.

Cape Town All Stars started the season with 5 draws in 6 games, then lost 5 games in a row, before winning their last two games. Another side which saw a coaching change, All Stars seem to be on an uphill. Whether they draw, win or lose matches, they seem to be consistent in whatever results they get, in the next 3 or 5 games.

The Cape is blessed with an abundance of talents. It is disservice to the people of the provinces to see their sides languishing at the bottom and mid-table of the Glad Africa Championship. All bottom 3 sides are from the Cape, one Eastern and two Western. The other two sides are neither here nor there in the mid-table. It is about time the Cape rise to the occasion and fight on the field, not on the streets.