Absence of key players disarm BDF VI
Koketso Kgoboge | Friday September 14, 2018 12:59
The current campaign has been tightly contested and it has not been clear where the pendulum would swing at the end of the season as four teams; BDF, Police VI, Kutlwano and Kalavango grapple each other.
The army men’s resilience will be tested after they lost four of their key players. Two players, Leatile Tiro and Oduetse Palo are out with long-term injuries.
Their new acquisition Goitseone Pulo, who had blended well since joining in the off-season, is on a study leave at Thebephatshwa and so is Monthusi Magosi who recently left for Japan.
The attacking quartet’s absence has seen the army boys struggle. Last weekend BDF VI escaped by a whisker when they defeated a relentless Kutlwano with a 3-2 score.
Kutlwano had claimed the first set 25-17 but BDF responded with a 25-21 win in the second and third set, respectively. Kutlwano took the battle to the wire, with a resounding 25-10 triumph before the log leaders escaped with 15-13 in the decider.
BDF VI also lost a point in a 3-1 routine win against Itekeng. BDF VI coach, Selebatso Mabutho said dropping sets was a result of injuries.
He said in the past three weeks they lost three players through injuries. Mabutho said they were tested by Kutlwano in a tough encounter and praised his charges who covered up for the absent four key players.
He said against Itekeng they were giving fringe players a run to prepare for the final sprint of the league, after losing their best runners.
“We played the first sets of both games with new faces to help adjust them to stage fright and we lost both the first sets in the two games that forced us to recall we wanted to rest so we don’t drop a game,” he said.
He said they are looking to maintain momentum in the next fixture when they meet Yaros and Desert Kings in Molepolole this weekend. Their hope is that some players will recover in the two-week league break after this weekend’s fixtures.
“The decider is against Police VI in the final week and we hope with the Independence break we will be able to get our fringe players up to their best and give time for others to recover from injuries,” he said.
Police VI will be in action against Mag Stimela and Kutlwano in Molepolole. Spiking Stars, Prisons, Diphatsa, Mafolofolo and Itekeng will be in Otse on Saturday. Mag Stimela, Police, BDF, Yaros, and Kutlwano women will play in Molepolole.