20 Mar 2014

Former premier league campaigners, Black Peril are battling for survival as the Debswana First Division south league slowly reaches its culmination.

The Tlokweng-based team, which played in the be Mobile Premier League only four seasons ago, has been languishing in the relegation zone for the entire second round of the season.

Sitting on position 11 with 15 points, and two points behind 10th placed Mochudi Buffaloes with four games left, Peril would require a drastic turnaround in results to avoid relegation to regional football.

Peril players are aware that nothing less than victory will be enough to improve their chances of survival when they visit second placed Black Forest in Mmankgodi on Saturday afternoon (March 23).

The team is without a win in its last five league matches, but they believe the arrival of seasoned coach Clever Hunda will help them to survive. But in Forest they will be facing an overachieving team that is brimming with confidence after winning four of its last five matches.

Forest was promoted from regional football structures last year, but has struck good form and are gunning against Letlapeng and Rolling Boys for automatic promotion to the premier league.

Coach Martin Motswiri’s team is boosted by the presence of former premier league players such as goalkeeper Israel Kealeboga, Tshenolo Mankaka (ex-Killer Giants), Mogomotsi Kerebotswe (ex-Township Rollers) and Ofentse Mothulwe (ex-Santos).

Hunda, who has vast experience of coaching in the elite league said in an interview on Wednesday (March 19) that morale was low in the team when he joined in January, but things have now improved and the team is confident of dodging the relegation axe.

“Everybody is willing to fight in order to help the team survive. There has been great improvement in our performances and the team has started to play as a unit,” said the coach. He saw their game against Forest as a 50/50 affair that can go either way, but said he will be looking for a win.

“I know how Black Forest plays because I used to come across them when I coached Tlokweng United. It will be 11 against 11 on Saturday (March22) and I am confident we can beat them,” said Hunda.

Other Debswana First Division south fixtures: (Saturday) -Killer Giants v Mochudi Buffaloes (Siga), Rolling Boys v Mogoditshane Fighters (SSG Ground), Jwaneng Comets v Letlapeng (Jwaneng), Ghanzi Terrors v Masitaoka (Ghanzi), Black Forest v Black Peril (Mmankgodi)

(Sunday)- Modipane United v Prisons XI (Modipane) ENDS

All games kicks-off at 3:30pm. ENDS