Delayed First Division North kicks off
Koketso Kgoboge | Friday September 22, 2017 15:19
Fierce competition is expected with a number of former Premiership sides now in the First Division North. Nico United, Green Lovers and Mahalapye Hotspurs are back in the dusty grounds where ECCO City Greens, Motlakase Power Dynamos, Great North Tigers and BR Highlanders lie in wait. A fixture pitting the former premiership side Green Lovers at home to a gritty Sua Flamingoes headlines the opening week.
Despite the financial comfort, Sua managed third and fourth respectively in the last two seasons. Against Flamingoes, Lovers will have to deal with the attacking force of former TAFIC’s talisman Mbatshi Machongo, Christopher Musonda and Manikina Muyenga who arrived at the Sowa club in the off-season.
Flamingoes will also be tough at the back with former Motlakase captain, Thatayaone Gaokgorwe and ex-Nico stalwart defender Remy Legoreng. Flamingoes assistant coach, Kemmonye Alijah said they took lessons from their past campaigns in the First Division and are ready to go all the way this season.
“First Division needs a combination of experience, power play and endurance hence we have offloaded most of the tired legs and brought in a number of youthful players who are full of running. We have prepared well and we believe we have done enough to be promoted automatically,” he said. Lovers have proved to be a determined side that never bury their head in adversity and will provide a stern test to Flamingoes credentials. The Serowe-based Lovers are also contenders for a return to Premiership despite losing a number of key players when they dropped from the top league.
The club will introduce 12 players from their development structures to beef up their senior side.
Club coach, Othusitswe Kootswele said they have done well in preparing the team but was worried the recent string of postponements might have taken a sting out of his side.
“We know we are facing an experienced side, but we have done what we should do in our preparations and we are ready,” he said.
“It’s a first game that comes after a number of delays. That obviously disturbed our preparations, but it (game) will tell us what we need to do going forward.”
On Saturday, Selebi-Phikwe’s Sam Sono Stadium will host another top fixture between Premiership casualties Nico United and BR Highlanders. Motlakase Power Dynamos welcome new entrants Maphatshwa at the Palapye Swallows ground. Morupule Wanderers, a side that endured a trying campaign, face returnees Mahalapye Hotspurs.
ECCO City Greens’ face a stubborn Real Movers test in Phikwe on Sunday.
Another Sunday fixture dishes a Francistown derby that will see debutants Calendar Stars take on Great North Tigers at the Francistown Stadium. All games kick of at 3pm.