Hunt celebrates three points from Wits’ ‘worst performance’

When you’re winning league titles‚ or fighting your way off the bottom of the table‚ three points will be taken any way they come.

Bidvest Wits in 2017-18 are not winning any league titles. That was last season’s milestone‚ with a first in their 96-year history.

This season it’s the other scenario in which any three points will do‚ and coach Gavin Hunt gratefully accepted them after an unbeautiful 1-0 Absa Premiership victory against 10-man Bloemfontein Celtic at Bidvest Stadium on Friday night.

“That was our worst performance‚ I think‚ this season. I mean we looked leggy‚ we looked heavy‚” Hunt growled afterwards.

“Our mince pies were nowhere – we couldn’t find a pass could we? But anyway‚ we got a result‚ so that’s the most important thing.

“We’re much better than that. We know that.

“I mean in the first round‚ when we played them in Bloemfontein‚ we were magnificent. We got an offside goal‚ and we lost 1-0.

“Now it turns around and we play badly and we win.

“We weren’t good. The passing let us down‚ the final ball.

“But it’s three points. And ja‚ no‚ we don’t care right now (how we get them).

“Everybody’s criticised us‚ and rightly so‚ rightly so. But our performances were brilliant and we lost.

“Now we’re poor and we win. It gets us moving in the right direction. That’s all that matters.

“We should have got three points on Sunday (in a 1-1 away draw against Chippa United) as well and that would have got us right out.

“But‚ listen‚ we are where we are. If we can go at two points a game from here on in we can get top eight.”

Wits‚ rooted in last place at the halfway stage‚ moved into lower mid-table in 13th place from the result.

In a slog of a game starved of chances Wits were handed a penalty when‚ from Sifiso Hlanti’s free-kick directed at Thulani Hlatshwayo‚ Celtic defender Lorenzo Gordinho’s header skewed at his own goal forcing Mpho Maruping to handball.

Maruping received his marching orders and James Keene slotted the 31st-minute spotkick.