26 Jan 2016

With the beMOBILE premiership race reaching the home straight, teams are now expected to up their game especially at both ends of the log to either fight for the league honours or escape the dreaded relegation axe.

So far, the toughest competition seems to be between the two top placed teams in Orapa United and Township Rollers. 

The former managed to displace the latter from the summit of the log standings after the weekend results.

The Ostriches have so far accumulated 44 points after registering their second win in a row from the Christmas break with a healthy 3-0 win against visiting Nico United at Itekeng Stadium.

The Ostriches’ fortunes were enhanced when long time log leaders, Township Rollers were shocked by lowly placed BR Highlanders at the Molepolole Sports Complex.

Popa seem to be having a lapse after the break, despite the fact that they went into an intensive training camp over the festive season which led to expectations that they would continue their cruise control of the log leadership.

The camp, however, seems to be achieving the opposite. 

They have so far accumulated 42 points.

Rollers will, however, take solace in the fact that third placed Mochudi Centre Chiefs also seem to have hit a hard rock, having only managed two points from a possible six. 

This has led to a five point-gap between them, which gave Rollers room to breathe before they could worry about falling further down.

The Kgatleng giants will have to up the gear if they still fancy chances of defending their tittle. After the weekend games, there has not been any change of positions from positon three to position seven. 

BDF XI still occupies position four with 33 points after suffering a shocking 0-3 defeat to visiting Galaxy FC. Miscellaneous, whom many expected to have a smooth sailing, only managed a 1-1 draw against FC Satmos of Selebi Phike and still occupy position five with 32 points.

Tse Nala sit only a point behind Matebele despite starting the league on a high note. Police XI have disappeared from the list of those challenging for the league honours and now occupy position six with 29 points.

The Jungle Kings took a long trip to Maun over the weekend to face Sankoyo Bush Bucks, only to come back empty handed after a 1-2 defeat.

Galaxy FC were the biggest movers as they moved from position 10 to eight, leapfrogging Nico United and Extension Gunners in the process. 

Gunners and Nico are placed at position nine and 10 with 25 and 23 points respectively.

Sankoyo Bush Bucks is still unmoved at position 11 while Green Lovers were displaced by Gilport Lions. Green Lovers should also be concerned by their leaking defence, which has led to a goal difference of minus 16.

On the other end of the league, the relegation axe is still hovering north of Dibete, which has been the case for the better part of the season. 

All the three bottom placed teams are from the north, with BR Highlanders hoping for a boost in  morale after managing what many teams have failed to do for the rest of the season, by being the first team to beat Rollers.

However, they are still six points from getting out of the relegation zone. 

Motlakase also found something to smile about as they managed a 2-0 win against their neighbours, Green Lovers of Serowe.

FC Satmos’s road back to the dusty grounds seems to be getting broader every weekend. 

The Selebi Phike outfit has not managed even a single win since the league started, and has let in a massive 42 goals against only 12 scored.

They have only accumulated an embarrassing six points from 19 games. The premiership will be back in action on Friday. Ends