Tinkler aims to finish season on a high

With two matches remaining in the DStv Premiership, Cape Town City coach Eric Tinkler is targeting their next game against Richards Bay to try and cement their place in the top 8.

The Citizens' remaining matches are against Bay and Mamelodi Sundowns and with their place in the top 8 not yet confirmed, Tinkler said they need to get maximum points against the Natal Rich Boyz at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday before they face Masandawana in their last fixture.

Tinkler's charges are seventh on the log table with 39 points, four ahead of ninth-place Polokwane City and eighth-placed Kaizer Chiefs, who are both tied on 35 points.

"I think the next game is Richards Bay. We want to make sure that we secure that top 8 position. Then let's go to that game against Sundowns with the belief that we can go there and take something away from them," Tinkler told the media after his side played to a 1-1 draw with TS Galaxy on Sunday at home.

"A year before last, when we played them [Sundowns] in the last game of the season, we had to basically hand over the trophy. We lost 1-0 and hopefully, this time we can turn it around.

"Any team in this league is beatable. We saw that at the weekend. Stellenbosch after the unbelievable run they had, they really looked good and there you go ... they lost to Moroka Swallows.

"Everyone was talking about [Orlando] Pirates finishing second and they ended up losing to Richards Bay. I think everybody is beatable on the day, including Sundowns."

With Bay, who are second from the bottom, two points behind Royal AM in the fight to avoid the playoff spot, Tinkler feels the Natal Rich Boyz will be highly motivated after their win against Pirates in Orlando on Saturday. 

"Richards Bay will come here thinking they can avoid the playoffs. They are fighting with Royal AM, who will play Sundowns again [tonight at Harry Gwala Stadium], so they will come here with a lot of hope that they can avoid that playoff spot.

"It is not going to be easy unless Royal AM does a miracle against Sundowns and beat them."

Fixtures

Tonight: Royal v Sundowns, Harry Gwala (7.30pm)

Saturday: All matches will start at 3pm: Royal v Chippa, Harry Gwala; Chiefs v Polokwane, FNB; Stellenbosch v Sundowns, Danie Craven; Galaxy v Pirates, Mbombela; Arrows v Spurs, Mpumalanga; SuperSport v Swallows, Lucas Moripe; CPT City v Bay, Cape Town; Sekhukhune v AmaZulu, Peter Mokaba.