Middendorp still cautious of relegation despite two straight wins
By blog.playabets.co.za2 Mins Read
Cape Town Spurs head coach Ernst Middendorp says the two straight wins in the DSTV Premiership count for nothing as they are still rooted at the bottom of the league.
Spurs defeated the much fancied TS Galaxy 2-0 at Athlone Stadium and moved to 10 points on the log, and are now three points away from Richards Bay in 15th place.
Ashley Cupido and Katlego Maphathe’s goals in the first-half secured Spurs third victory of the season, a second one under Middendorp.
Middendorp believes his side has not overturned their fortunes with these two morale-boosting victories.
“We are all happy with the three points, probably the light is a little bit brighter in the basement.
“We are still looking for the light at the end of the tunnel. But we will not see it in March and we will not see it in April, probably earliest in the end of May.
“That’s something where we have to believe to keep going. And that’s a game with a different approach in the first half, a bit more out of a compact, not jumping up and down, but I think a very clear, good shape.
“In the right moment to have the pressure on the ball, on the right moment to do the corner runs supporting each other. I think at that time we fully deserved a 2-0, we had probably another moment where we could have done a third one,” said Middendorp in a post-match press briefing.
The much-travelled coach believes the newly found mentality in the group ensured that they did not surrender their lead in the second-half.
“But anyway, it’s the end of the first half already. I think when it comes to the mentality, the attitude, the behavior of a group of a team, what we try to produce inside the entire club, everybody is involved – from the management, ownership and so on to give support into the right direction that we can see what we have seen today in the second half,” insisted Middendorp.
Spurs will look to build on that when they visit Orlando Pirates at Orlando Stadium on Wednesday, where they will hope to complete a league double.