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Nation Dube

Tobias Mandoreba Hwange Correspondent
CASTLE Lager Premier league title dark horses Hwange are more than ready to shoot down Chapungu as the coalminers and the airmen lock horns at the Colliery Stadium tomorrow afternoon.Hwange went into the league’s two week break wearing long faces after their trip to Zvishavane turned into a nightmare with a 2-0 clobbering in the asbestos mining town.

Before that Hwange had forced a share of spoils in a 1-1 draw with Harare giants Dynamos in the capital.

But the two week break in the league programme seems to have given Nation Dube and his lieutenant Brian Njobvu time to sharpen their daggers for war as the league inches towards the decisive stage where boys are separated from men.

“ We are coming from a loss to Shabanie Mine hence we are hard pressed to collect maximum points at home as we are not prepared to drop points in two consecutive matches.

I have talked to my boys about the need to start getting positive results up to the end of the season as we want to finish in a respectable position. Almost every year we were always fighting relegation but this year we told ourselves that we don’t need such unnecessary pressure on our backs,” said Dube yesterday.

The soft spoken coach added that morale in the camp was high as the boys were geared to bring back the smiles on the faces of the home supporters.

Chronicle Sport’s efforts to talk to the team captain Gerald Ndlovu, however, hit a brick wall as Dube said his players were now in the mood for the battle with Chapungu and nothing else.

“All my players’ minds are now fixed for the match and I would not want to subject the captain to unnecessary pressure with media interviews, in fact that is the reason we are camping away from Hwange as we need to give the players some peace and time to be ready for all the games especially at this time, ” he said.

Dube will be hoping that his lethal striker Evans Rusike recovers in time for the game as he has been out of action for the better part of the last two months.

Rusike is likely to partner Alec Marime and Gilbert Zulu upfront as the coalminers look for that sting to bounce back to winning ways.
In the middle of the park, a lot is expected from the likes of Rodwell Chinyengetere, Isaac Masame, Farai Vimisai and Talent Chamboko.

The defence partnership of captain Ndlovu and David Boriwondo is expected to provide sentry to young goal minder Takabva Mawaya.

Dube’s trusted anchorman Andrew Tshuma is out due to suspension after picking up three yellow cards and will be replaced by young Collen Muleya.

Meanwhile, Hwange supporters are also smelling blood with their secretary Lisutu Ndlovu declaring war on Chapungu.

“Hwange comes into the match wounded and we are venting all our anger on Chapungu tomorrow. I have had a chance to watch the boys training and I am sure we will be celebrating at the end of the day.

“The drums will be beaten late into the night after we roast the Chapungu team on the coal fires,” declared Ndlovu.