FDN powerhouses in early three-horse race

Koketso Kgoboge | Friday December 16, 2016 13:43

The three teams have fought bitterly since the beginning of the season and have kept swapping positions at the top with the fourth-placed Sua Flamingoes toiling seven points adrift of Chouka. Current league leaders, BR Highlanders have enjoyed a span of seven weeks at the helm before they were displaced and relegated to the third position for two weeks. They have since re-claimed the position at the summit.

Chouka lasted only seven days of week eight during their time at the top and Matjimenyenga, who have chased consistently with their new found fluid attacking football, took the helm in week nine before they relinquished it to Highlanders last weekend. TAFIC slipped and drew 1-1 draw against Selebi-Phikwe’s Real Movers over the weekend while Stimela took the initiative against ECCO City Greens with a 1-0 home win on their way back to the summit.

It is still not clear who will finish the first round at the top with Stimela and Matjimenyenga differentiated by the alphabetical order on position one and two. The two are equal on 23 points and a similar goal difference of 12 goals, while third placed-Chouka are a point down and 10 goals. Who finishes top in the trio’s chase goes down to the results of this weekend’s fixtures.

Highlanders take a long trip to Maun to face the unpredictable Maun Tigers who have developed a penchant for standing their own against tough teams. They have outclassed the marvel attacking game of TAFIC with a 5-3 romp and held Motlakase to a stalemate. Motlakase will have a tough task of dismantling giant slayers, Real Movers in Selebi-Phikwe, who recently made TAFIC toil and escaped with a last gasp draw. Motlakase and Highlanders’ games will be played on Saturday afternoon. TAFIC face a tricky derby encounter with cross-town rivals Great North Tigers (GNT) on Sunday. The trio’s nearest candidate on fourth position, Sua Flamingoes travel to Chobe United on Saturday.

Last season’s First Division North dream team, Mamoja Diskie who have found the going tough this time around, will play host to the struggling FC Satmos. David Bright aims to take advantage of bottom-placed TASC to climb a few positions up as he looks to the January transfer window to try and save his resume from drowning in the mud. The only blip in the northern first division first round is Motlakase’s defaulter charge matter. TASC have lodged a protest against the Palapye side following a 3-1 defeat in Palapye and Motlakase have summoned to appear before the league committee on Saturday at the Kutlwano Police Station for the hearing.