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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
ZPC Hwange, Indlovu Iyanyathela, Talen Vision and Makomo are battling for the remaining two slots for the Southern Region Division One League top four finish to be guaranteed a place in the end of season John Landa Nkomo Memorial Cup.

With championship-chasing Hwange and Tsholotsho already guaranteed places in the Liquor Hub sponsored cup, ZPC Hwange, Indlovu Iyanyathela, Talen Vision and Makomo have all to play for in the last six remaining games.

The John Landa Nkomo Memorial Cup is being sponsored to the tune of $5 000, with the winners taking home $1 300 and losing finalists pocketing $600. The third and fourth-placed teams will each pocket $300.

ZPC Hwange are third on the league table with 44 points from 24 games, three points ahead of fourth-placed Indlovu Iyanyathela. Talen Vision and Makomo are tied on 39 points.

With the ZPC Hwange v Indlovu Iyanyathela game as well as the Bosso 90 encounter against Makomo postponed, fifth-placed Talen Vision could find themselves in fourth position in the event that they beat Casmyn at Gifford High School tomorrow.

A win over relegation threatened Casmyn will take Talen Vision’s points tally to 42, two ahead of Indlovu Iyanyathela.

Casmyn are among the bottom eight teams that are not safe from relegation, making them tricky customers for Talen Vision.

Four teams will be relegated at the end of the season, with the same number being promoted into the First Division from Bulawayo and Matabeleland North Division Two Leagues. The Southern Region Division One champions will be replaced by Bulawayo City, who are sure to be relegated from the Castle Lager Premiership.

Besides Casmyn who are presently 10th with 26 points, the other teams that are not yet safe from the axe are ninth-placed Moto Moto (26 points), Mosi Rovers (25), Zim Leopard (24), Main Line (23), ZRP Bulawayo (20), Toronto (18) and table anchors NRZ Leopards on 14 points.

With at least half of the league not safe from relegation, the remaining matches of the season are likely to be highly competitive with teams fighting for survival.

The bottom two teams, NRZ Leopards and Toronto clash in Dete today, with ZRP Bulawayo and Zim Leopards also involved in a survival contest at Ross Camp.

Plumtree’s Main Line have a tough encounter against second-placed Tsholotsho at Luveve Stadium tomorrow.

Moto Moto will be at home to log leaders Hwange, who hammered NRZ Leopards 8-0 last weekend, while Victoria Falls-based Mosi Rovers will be at home to CIWU.

Fixtures
Tomorrow: ZPC Hwange v Indlovu Iyanyathela (postponed), Talen Vision v Casmyn (Gifford, 12pm), NRZ Leopards v Toronto (Dete), ZRP Bulawayo Province v Zim Leopards (Ross Camp), Bosso 90 v Makomo (postponed), Tsholotsho v Main Line (Luveve, 12pm)

Sunday: Mosi Rovers v CIWU (Victoria Falls), Moto Moto v Hwange (Hwange)
Wednesday, October 10: Bosso 90 v Makomo (Crescent), Zim Leopards v Moto Moto (Luveve)

Table
P W D L F A GD Pts
Hwange 24 17 5 2 50 12 38 56
Tsholotsho 24 14 9 1 30 11 19 51
ZPC Hwange 24 11 10 3 22 11 11 43
I. Iyanyathela 24 11 7 6 31 19 12 40
Talen Vision 24 10 9 5 33 15 18 39
Makomo 24 10 9 5 32 26 6 39
Bosso 90 24 8 9 7 22 19 3 33
CIWU 24 7 10 7 24 22 2 31
Moto Moto 23 5 11 7 17 19 -2 26
Casmyn 24 6 8 10 14 24 -10 26
Mosi Rovers 24 7 4 13 24 33 -9 25
Zim Leopards 23 6 6 11 20 31 -11 24
Main Line 24 6 5 13 15 30 -17 23
ZRP Bulawayo 24 4 7 13 15 30 -15 20
Toronto 24 2 12 10 10 25 -15 18
NRZ Leopards 24 3 6 15 12 45 -33 14
– @ZililoR