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From Tobias Mandoreba in Hwange
RELEGATION threatened Hwange have vowed to avoid the dreaded chop at the end of the season and will be in war mode starting today when they host Shabanie Mine in a crucial Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at the Colliery Stadium. It’s now a matter of life and death for the coalminers who are seeking another dance in the elite league next year and head coach Nation Dube, clearly aware of what is at stake as the leaguea inches towards the end, did not mince his words.
“It is a very tough game for us but we need to pick up the pieces especially after the loss to Harare City in the Mbada Diamonds Cup game in Beitbridge. We are aware of our position on the log hence we definitely have to start picking up points from now going forward.
“Relegation is not in our dictionary, so as a team we will fight to the last drop of our blood to continue playing in the top-flight next year. Masomere, the Shabanie coach is on record boasting that the Colliery Stadium is his ‘home ground’ since he worked in Hwange before, that’s his way of motivating his players. Our own motivation is in the protection of the Hwange football brand hence we are raring to go,” said Dube.
He said that he has no injury worries in his camp and is expecting to field a full strength team that will silence the Zvishavane visitors.
The soft-spoken coach must have read the riot act on Saturday in the border town after the Mbada Cup exit where the team made a mockery of the rich vein of form they had picked up recently with some impressive wins over FC Platinum and Dynamos before a gallant performance at Gibbo Stadium which saw them draw 2-2 with a stubborn Triangle.
Dube will be hoping that his usually reliable defensive pair of David Boriwondo, consistent the whole season and captain Gerald Ndlovu, will be at their best to shut out the Shabanie strike force.
In the middle of park a lot is expected from the likes of Nkosana Siwela, Isaac Masame and Andrew Tshuma while veteran striker Gilbert Zulu should lead the attack line.
In a telephone interview, Shabanie Mine coach and self proclaimed “Doctor of Football’ Luke Masomere was wary of the big threat posed by a side which is walking in the dreaded corridors of relegation
“I can simply call it a dangerous affair because Hwange, coming from a loss in a cup game are also fighting for survival and playing at home. It will be very difficult but I am positive we can come out with something as I want to finish in a respectable position so that I can defend the BancABC Sup8r Cup next year.
“I will be missing Pervington Zimunya and Valentine Ndaba through suspension while Pardon Marime is out injured but I don’t rely on individuals but on the team work hence I don’t have any headaches over the missing personnel,” said Masomere.
Since he left the coalminers in 2002, Masomere has lost to Hwange only once in a league match but he refused to rely on history ahead of this potentially explosive encounter.
“It is no secret that I have managed to chalk up good results against my former paymasters but it’s a new game all together and anything can happen but all I want is a good result,” said Masomere.
For the coalminers, the Shabanie Mine game is the beginning of a “swim or sink” mission as the boys also need to be at their best in the next assignment against Chicken Inn at Luveve Stadium this Saturday.
After Chicken Inn, the coalminers need to be in full combat gear to tame Black Mambas (home), bury fellow miners How Mine (away), gore Buffaloes (home), dehorn Black Rhinos (away) before hoping to choke the last Premier League breath out of Motor Action in the last match of the season at the Colliery.
Online Reporter