History against Baroka in the PSL promotion/relegation play-offs

Baroka FC enter the Premier Soccer League Promotion/Relegation Play-Offs on Wednesday knowing that history is against them as top-flight sides have had little joy in the competition since it was first played in the 2004/05 season.

Baroka travel to Stellenbosch FC in their mini-league opener and must also take on Limpopo rivals Black Leopards as they seek to retain their top-flight status.

The top team in the round-robin tournament will play in the Absa Premiership next season.

In the 12 play-off tournaments played since the first‚ just three teams from the top tier have managed to win.

Only AmaZulu (2006/07)‚ Mpumalanga Black Aces (2009/10) and Polokwane City (2013/14) have managed to buck the trend.

Last season University of Pretoria finished bottom of the mini-league as Highlands Park went up and Mbombela United just missed out.

The reasons for the failure of the top flight sides are varied‚ but one of the biggest is momentum.

While the NFD teams come into the competition with a successful campaign and winning culture behind them‚ for the Premiership clubs it is the complete opposite as failure and numerous losses eat away at confidence.

Baroka can point to a little bit of a run of form though‚ they only lost one of their last six league games‚ though there was only a single win in there too with four draws.

When the Play-Offs were first introduced they were played between four sides‚ 15th in the top-flight and three teams from the NFD‚ paired off into two-legged semifinals and a final. The format was changed to the current one in 2012.

Manning Rangers finished 15th in the Absa Premiership in the 2004/05 season and were entered into the first-ever play-offs‚ but came unstuck at the semifinal stage‚ losing 6-3 on aggregate to the now defunct Hellenic.

In the 2005/06 campaign‚ Umtata Buch Bucks had to fight for survival‚ but also did not even make the final‚ losing both legs to Vasco da Gama for a 4-1 aggregate score.

AmaZulu bucked the trend when they beat FC AK 4-1 on aggregate in the semifinals‚ before completing a 3-1 success over University of Pretoria to become the first top-flight side to retain their status via the play-offs.

Black Leopards were not so lucky‚ they lost their 2007/08 semifinal to Bay United‚ going down 2-1 on aggregate to drop a division.

Thanda Royal Zulu‚ who won automatic promotion this season‚ at least made the play-off final the following season in 2008/09‚ but could not keep their top-flight status in the end.

They defeated FC Cape Town in the semis‚ before losing 3-0 to Mpumalanga Black Aces on aggregate in the final.

Black Aces then became the second top-flight side to retain their place in the Premiership via the play-offs when they competed in the post-season competition.

They beat Nathi Lions 4-2 in the semifinals and Black Leopards 5-3 on penalties in the final after their tie had finished 3-3 on aggregate. It is the most nail-biting play-off final to date.

But normal order was resumed in 2010/11 as Vasco da Gama could not retain their top-flight status and lost in the semifinals 4-2 on aggregate to Black Leopards‚ who went on to beat Bay United in the final.

Santos finished bottom of the mini-league as the format changed in 2012‚ managing just two draws in their four games.

But Polokwane City showed the way with a commanding performance a year later as they took 10 points from a possible 12 and beat off Black Leopards and Milano United for top spot.

Moroka Swallows finished bottom of the league that also contained Jomo Cosmos and leopards in 2014/15‚ before AmaTuks did likewise in the last campaign as they capitulated with no wins from their four games.