Pre-season injuries dog Gamecocks Mpumelelo Bhebhe (left) and Dominic Jaricha

Fungai Muderere, Senior Sports Reporter
FORMER Castle Soccer League champions, Chicken Inn were last Saturday forced to play their first game of the season against newcomers Sheasham without a number of their regular players who were reportedly in the treatment room.

Combative midfielder Richard Hachiro, striker Clive Augusto, new signing Calum English Brown, twin centre backs Itai Mabunu and Vincent Moyo did not make the trip to Zvishavane owing to different injuries.

The equally experienced Shepherd Mhlanga was dropped from the starting line-up on the day of the match courtesy of a flu bug. As a result, the Prince Matore-led technical team was compelled to hand Denzel Khumalo a starting place in a match that ended 0-0.

Khumalo lasted for 60 minutes and was replaced by the club’s other seasoned midfielder George Majika.

In the absence of Mabunu and Moyo, who last season had established a telepathic understanding in the heart of the Gamecocks rearguard, the 2015 league champions had to hand debut appearances to their new signings Mpumelelo Bhebhe and Dominic

Jaricha who were both previously with Bulawayo City. Bhebhe and Jaricha combined so well and their breathtaking performances were nicely complemented by roving captain Xolani “Lolo” Ndlovu and young Arthur Chinda.

Ahead of their clash against other PSL new boys, Simba Bhora on Saturday Matore and his other members of the technical department, will be hoping their treatment room gets cleared and also get Augusto back in the fold to provide more fire power.

Bulawayo City

In the absence of Augusto in their previous match, the Gamecocks also gave hard running Genius Mutungamiri, another former Bulawayo City player, his debut start and he played for 70 minutes before he made way for Brighton “MaNinja” Ncube who joined Brian Muza and Munashe Pini in attack.

“Yes, Vincent, Itai, Hachiro, English Brown and Augusto but I can confirm that they have slowly started training with the rest of the team. We will continue to access them and see what decisions we can take. However, I am happy to say our new signings have fitted well in the team. They played well against Sheasham, they have come to give us more depth. It is always good to have more depth in your team,” said Matore.

Tafadzwa Kutinyu

On Saturday, Chicken Inn will be without the services of suspended ex-Warriors midfielder Tafadzwa Kutinyu.

The industrious midfielder was last weekend given a red card after a second bookable offence.

Kutinyu was first cautioned 55 minutes into play for dissent after an opponent tore his jersey with the referee of the day shockingly waving play on.

He was then sent for an early shower after a tackle on tear away Construction Boys’ David Mangesi who had left him for dead. -@FungaiMuderere

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