Naughty Boys’ game plan

MPHELA Naughty Boys FC has been labelled the weakest link in the Polokwane Mayoral Football and Netball Cup by football pundits, but head coach Morris Phago said he would make many people eat humble pie when his club goes all the way to win the R50 000 prize money.

Phago was talking after Naughty Boys claimed a hard fought 1-0 victory over crowd favourites Old Rock FC at the Seshego High Village ground on Sunday.

He said their failure to qualify for the tournament last year was a bitter pill to swallow and he went back to the drawing board to rethink his strategy and to start preparations for this year’s tournament.

“The team agreed that last year was a bad year for us and vowed to use the experience to qualify this year.

“We might practise on gravel and our counterparts on professional turf and we might be a rural club, but we have a plan up our sleeves.

“We mean business and we have point to prove,” Phago said.

Phago did not mince his words when he explained that he and his technical staff have done the necessary research on all their opponents.

“We have checked out defending champions Boyne Tigers and Tshiamo Academy.

“We will use some of their training methods to raise the standard of our game.

“We tried out our new game plans against Old Rock and it worked.

“All we need now is the mental strength to match other teams pound for pound,” explained Phago.

In another qualification match, Bakone Development beat Manchester United Deve-lopment 1-0 to retain their spot in the Mayoral Cup.

The Moletjie Cluster will be represented by Youngsters Development and Air Stars in the netball division.

They triumphed over Maebana Netball Club and Moletjie Sweepers respectively to win their place in this tournament.

The Mankweng cluster will be represented by 104 FC and Moria Sweepers FC.

Their netball hopes will be pinned on last year’s runners up Rising Stars and Silver Stars from Mentz.

TK Stars FC from Kopermyn, Boyne Tigers, Hot Beans Netball Club from Ga-Ngwanamago and Theology Netball Club from Ga-Molepo will represent the Molepo-Maja-Chuene cluster.

The date for the finals has been postponed to December 8 to allow players to concentrate on their examinations.

The Sebayeng-Dikgale cluster will look at Mothiba Green Aces from Nobody village and Tshiamo Academy to bring back glory in soccer, whereas Grasshoppers from Marobala village and Cargo Sports Academy will battle it out for netball honours.

The Seshego-City cluster will be represented by Royal FC and Gunners FC in football, while defending champions Young Fighters Netball Club and Rising Stars will look to keep the trophy in the cluster.