Midlands Correspondent
BLANKET Mine will be hoping to consolidate their place at the top of the Zifa Central Soccer League (CSL) log when they take on fellow gold miners and a vastly improved Jessie Mine at Colleen Bawn today. Blanket Mine regained pole position last weekend following a 4–1 massacre of FC Platinum Under 19 after having relinquished pole position in week six to Shabanie Mine.
The Chinda Boys who are winless in their last three encounters, will be hoping for a change in fortunes when they entertain ZRP Beitbridge at Maglas Stadium tomorrow. Shabanie’s winless run began when they were held to a nil all stalemate by ZRP Gwanda before being shocked one nil by Nichrut in their own backyard and another nil all stalemate against Whawha last week. This has seen the championship favourites being relegated to third position on the table with 23 points from 12 games.
Blanket Mine who are now a point ahead of the asbestos miners will be hoping to beat Jessie Mine at their own backyard which will be their first home defeat of the season to consolidate their place at the top of the log standings.
Barnet Vhikumbu, the Blanket Mine coach who has not hidden his side’s ambition to play in the top flight league, conceded that today’s game would not be a stroll in the park.
“This is one game which will test our character since Jessie Mine are our neighbours and a derby is always difficult to predict. They have also picked themselves up after a slow start to the season and they are still to lose at home. We are, however, confident that we will come out with a positive result,” he said.
“The community is expecting a lot from us especially if you consider the support we have been getting from the mine management. We need to apply ourselves and push hard so that we can be promoted. I have told our players to be committed and not to underrate any team,” he said.
In other matches, second placed Tongogara have a relatively easy assignment against relegation threatened Gweru United at Battlefields today while Ivan Hoe will face an unpredictable FC Platinum Under 19 at Mandava on Sunday.
Fixtures
Today: Vumbachikwe vs Kwekwe Sables (Vumbachikwe), Jessie Mine vs Blanket Mine (Colleen Bawn), ZRP Gwanda vs Nichrut (Pelandaba), Tongogara vs Gweru United (Battlefields), ZPC Munyati vs MSU (Munyati)
Tomorrow: Shabanie Mine vs ZRP Beitbridge (Maglas), Chrome Stars vs Whawha (Chrome), FC Platinum U19 vs Ivan Hoe (Mandava)