Chilli Boys warned to play for all their worth

Chippa United veteran Andile Mbenyane has called on senior players to step up and save the Eastern Cape team from the relegation axe hovering over them.

And if the Chilli Boys are to achieve that, they will have to turn their season around with Ajax Cape Town at Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane tomorrow (kick-off 3pm).

Speaking after training at the North End Stadium in East London yesterday, Mbenyane, who will likely lead the team against the Urban Warriors in the absence of regular captain Thamsanqa Sangweni, said it was up to the senior players to rise to the occasion and lead by example.

“We need each and every player that is here now. The players that we have now all understand what we have to achieve as a team, which is good.

“Everyone needs to work because we have to save this team. We can’t go down to the NFD because we don’t deserve to be there. We deserve to be here in the PSL,” he said.

“As senior players, if we don’t work hard, the young players will also not work hard. They will see that the senior players don’t worry which is not good. Which is why as senior players we have to put 120% more so that the youngsters must see that we really mean business.”

With only four games left, Chippa will have to start getting some points, more especially since they will be playing at home tomorrow.

Chippa are fourth from the bottom with 24 points from 26 games. Only two points separates them from bottom-of-the-table Highlands Park, so a win tomorrow will be a huge boost for their survival.

After Ajax, they will travel to basement dwellers, Highlands Park for a Friday night game before hosting SuperSport United in PE on May 17.

Then they will end the season with an away game against fellow strugglers, Free State Stars on May 17.

The Chilli Boys will be confident of at least getting six points against Park and Stars while two points against United and Ajax would not be bad results.

But the Eastern Cape side will have to turn their attractive brand of football into goals. The team was hard at work yesterday training crosses and shooting from outside the box.

Mbenyane said playing beautiful football without the end result would not save the team from the axe.

“This thing of playing more touches on our half is not working at all. Now we are trying to play more into their 20 yards,” he said.

Chippa go into the game without some key players like Sangweni who was red-carded against Orlando Pirates, Justice Chabalala who is also suspended for the game and the influential midfielder Buyani Sali, who is out for the season with an injury.

Another senior player, Diamond Thopola who might also captain the team if Mbenyane will not start, said it was up to the players to dig themselves out of the hole they got themselves in. “It's up to us to show the hunger, have big hearts and show character and lead the young boys on the pitch,” said the Bafana Bafana defender, adding the 12thman will be crucial for them tomorrow. “We just have to collect maximum points especially playing at home then we will see what happens when we’re away.”