Tinkler wants maximum points from next three games

Having just clawed their way out of a hole‚ Orlando Pirates need to continue winning matches to make sure they don’t fall straight back into it‚ Bucs’ coach Eric Tinkler has admitted ahead of his side’s Absa Premiership match against Free Sate Stars.

Sitting in mid-table in ninth position‚ Bucs’ attempts to take their place at the table of South Africa’s top clubs remain precarious ahead of Wednesday night’s trip to a tricky Goble Park in Bethlehem.

Pirates finally broke back into the top eight with their 1-0 victory against University of Pretoria two weekends ago‚ then promptly slipped out of it again losing 2-1 to an impressive Mamelodi Sundowns at Orlando Stadium four days later.

Tinkler has said he wants Bucs to strive for maximum points in their next three games.

“All the games are tough‚ but I think our situation is a lot better. It was important for us to look to climb that table‚” Pirates’ coach said after the Sundowns game.

“Free State Stars are a direct rival. They are sitting on points just a bit behind us. So it’s extremely important to go there and try to get the three points.

“It’s not an easy place to travel to. Although I definitely prefer Goble Park to QwaQwa.

“But we’ve got a very important period now against Stars‚ Black Aces and then Bloemfontein Celtic. We need to collect maximum points from all of them if we want to achieve our objective of finishing in the top three.”

Pirates — in mini-revival after three matches unbeaten and two wins in a row — were tipped to provide a stiff challenge to PSL leaders Downs’ rampant winning form.

But the Brazilians swept aside such a notion with a focused performance in Orlando.

Tinkler‚ though‚ saw positives from the manner in which‚ having been outplayed in the first half to be 2-0 down‚ Pirates fought back in the second and pulled one back through Mpho Makola’s superb free-kick.

“There was a period we played with fear — we don’t have that fear any more. We’re looking to play again‚” he said‚ adding‚ “but I am always expecting more”.

Stars have been hit by injuries‚ especially to their forward line‚ with Andrea Fileccia‚ Moeketsi Sekola and S’thembiso Ngcobo all ruled out in recent weeks. Defenders Davies Nkausu and Themba Shabalala are also ruled out.

After a promising start under Italian coach Giovanni Solinas after his appointment in late December‚ the Free State side have slipped to 12th on the back of a 5-2 defeat against Sundowns and 1-0 loss to Jomo Cosmos in Potchefstroom on Saturday.

“The injuries couldn’t have come at a worse time‚” Solinas’s assistant‚ Bradley Carnell‚ said on Tuesday. “We’ve got three games in eight days and some of them are lengthy injuries.

“But we hope to get Sekola back in about 10 days’ time‚ and Nkausu maybe in two weeks. So there is some light at the end of the tunnel.

“For our games coming up you have to look at the flip side of the coin and say to the players it’s a chance to step up to the plate now.”

Stars will look to their second-top scorer (after Fileccia‚ six goals)‚ Danny Venter with five‚ as a source of goals against Pirates.

– TMG Digital