Jonty Mark

By Jonty Mark

Football Editor


Wits are playing better this season – Hunt

Gavin Hunt bizarrely thinks Bidvest Wits are playing better football now than they did last season, even though the champions are propping up the Absa Premiership.


Eleazar Rodgers’ late goal on Saturday earned Wits a point at Polokwane City, but the Clever Boys have won just two of 13 league matches, and are a point behind 15th-placed Platinum Stars, who they face on Saturday.

“I think we have played better this season than last, and last season we were top of the league, so it is the fine lines,” said Hunt, without a hint of irony.

“So then you go back to saying what is football about? It is about results, it is not about how a team is playing. Look at the team at the top (Mamelodi Sundowns) they are not playing great, but they are winning.”

READ: Wits and City play to a draw

Wits won the Telkom Knockout, beating Bloemfontein Celtic in the final on December 2, but any hopes this might boost their league form have been deflated in a goalless home draw with Ajax Cape Town and Sunday’s 1-1 stalemate at Polokwane City.

“I think we played well in both games, but that is the nature of the game if you are not scoring. They (Polokwane City) scored with a big deflection and we came back and got a draw, you can’t fault the players,” added the Wits coach.

“We have just got to win, it is a hell of a game on Saturday (against Platinum Stars). Obviously we can jump up the table, but we have been saying that for a couple of weeks now.”

The game is Wits’ last before the Christmas break, and they will have to play it without Vincent Pule, the scorer of the winner in the TKO final and Nazeer Allie, who are both still out injured.

Stars were unable to back up last week’s win at Polokwane City as they lost 1-0 at home to Kaizer Chiefs on Saturday. Roger de Sa’s side, like Wits, have won just two league games all season, making this weekend’s match an unlikely early relegation battle.

For more news your way

Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.