'Football is a funny game' - Wits coach Hunt
Bidvest Wits were so unconvincing in their extra-time 4-2 win over Free State Stars in the Telkom Knockout Last 16 at Bidvest Stadium on Saturday night that even their coach Gavin Hunt admitted they were lucky to emerge victories.
Hunt blamed his team's timid performance on not having enough material every time he had to select his starting line up this season‚ with players missing for one reason or another.
"How many players we got out from the starting eleven tonight... Thabang Monare‚ Dylon Classens‚ Thulani Hlatshwayo‚ Buhle Mbonambi and everybody. From the start of the season I can't pick a team‚" he lamented.
"Even goalkeeper Darren Keet trained only for one week in four months.
"I had to play him because the other guy had his hand broken and Moeneeb Josephs is out injured. But I had put him (Josephs) on the bench.
"If Moeneeb had to come on I don't how he was going to play. But that's the way it goes‚" said Hunt‚ adding that he would have to sign players in January.
The Wits coach also dismissed reports that there have been problems in The Clever Boys camp.
The players' morale was said to be at all-time low following reports about bonuses not being distributed to their satisfaction after they won the league for the first time in their history last season.
"Players have been fantastic even in losing they have been fantastic.
"You read reports‚ but I mean you've got to write something.
"The players have worked their socks off... in good times and bad times."
Despite winning two matches in a row‚ including their first away league win against log leaders Baroka FC last week‚ the league champions are yet to catch a wake up from their slumber.
After taking an opportunistic 20 minute lead against Stars on Saturday‚ with a make-shift defence which had the first goal scorer Bongani Khumalo paired with right back Nazeer Alie‚ Wits couldn't last more than four minutes in that lead.
Hunt couldn't believe his eyes when his charges allowed Thabo Maphakamisa plenty of time and space to pull a low ground shot just outside the area to level matters.
"We dominated all games and didn't score.
"But we conceded like we did tonight making a bad‚ bad error from a player who shouldn't be making an error like that‚" said Hunt without mentioning the player by name.
That was not to be the last time the Wits defence was breached after being found wanting in this match.
Two minutes before half time Wits again regained their lead as referee Daniel Bennett gifted them a penalty after Stars defender Rooi Mahamutsa handled a Diane Klate's free kick inside the area.
Egyptian striker Ahmed Gamal stepped up and slotted it in but it was again The Clever Boys' failure to seal the deal in the second stanza that allowed Stars to comeback with a penalty of their own after Allie was adjudged to have fouled Sinethemba Jantjie inside the area with 15 minutes to go.
If that didn't infuriate Hunt it must have left a couple fans who bothered to turn up for this encounter asking themselves when exactly they were heading for their comfortable and warm beds on a cold Johannesburg night.
Siphelele Mthembu smashed the penalty into the back of the net‚ sending the match into extra-time.
But the scoring prowess of Gamal rescued Wits and he settled matters with his strikes coming in each half of the added 30 minutes.
Was this win a turning point in what is turning to be a topsy-turvy season for Wits?
"I think there's no turning point in football‚" said Hunt.
"I think if a team is working hard like we do and the shape is good‚ we are going to create opportunities.
"I don't think this it's a turning point.
"I think sometimes that how football works.
"If you understand football. Football is a funny game.
"One day you're on top and the next day you're down and out."