Cape Town Spurs’ painful loss to Polokwane City has forced head coach Ernst Middendorp to accept the club’s possible relegation to the Motsepe Foundation Championship.
Young defender Rushwin Dortley unfortunately scored an own goal in the 93rd minute, sending the Spurs bench into despair.
In another fixture on Tuesday, fellow strugglers Richards Bay edged AmaZulu 2-1 to move eight points away from Spurs, who are rooted to the bottom.
The Urban Warriors have four league matches remaining, and Middendorp has conceded that only a miracle can save his charges.
“No idea, Listen, I’m busy all the days with finding solutions for this game to put it adequate together, to find solutions with the potential we have.
“We have a number of players not available, also not 100% available; second-half players we brought in, they can’t do it for 90 minutes at the moment.
“Not really at their best quality, that’s what I’ve been busy with in this moment. I’m not having a solution in terms of looking forward.
“The game today was my main focus and yeah, good, it’s now definitely something where you have to see how to approach the following four games. Of course, it’s also always something, miracles happen, but I’m more realistic,” Middendorp told the media.
Spurs face Royal AM in their next fixture, and a loss at the Harry Gwala Stadium will all but confirm their impending demise to the second division.
“Basically the same, to prepare for the next game. As you said, be a realist on one side but on the other side now, we’ve just lost the game, we just lost the game and have eight points distance, the opponent off the field won two to one so they say after eat.
“In the moment, you will ask me where should I take the hope? One or two players probably will be available next week, but also been out for a number of weeks now. Yeah, we just come together tomorrow and then we have to see how we approach it.
“The games have to be played and of course played for the optimum, for the maximum of points. That’s the reality but that is what we are doing since the end of November,” Middendorp added.
