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Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
GUNNERS coach Darlington Dodo has rallied his troops to maintain their fine form when they take on Herentals this afternoon at Motor Action in a Northern Region Division One Soccer League match. Gunners have won their previous two games against DC Academy and Mushowani.

They clash against Herentals today and Dodo believes his players’ confidence is high at the moment, which is key for their game today. “We are preparing for that game. Herentals are a good side and competitive team so we also have to be very sharp and very ready to play.

“We are doing all we can for the game. “The response in training is very good, they are very positive. “After the DC Academy game confidence has gone up so we are trying to keep that momentum. “I am seeing more positives than negatives.

“I think we can still do better than what we did against Mushowani because sometimes when you play away from home there is pressure but they did well so I just expect the same,” said Dodo.

The second-placed side are 15 points behind log leaders Ngezi Platinum and a win today may see them closing on the gap to pole position in the event Ngezi fall to Black Rhinos at Commando.

While Gunners has been doing well of late, their opponents, Herentals are eager to win after dropping six points in their last two games. Their coach, Kumbirai Mutiwekuziva, urged his charges to be at their best considering that Gunners are seasoned campaigners.

“It’s a very important game for us. I am urging all my boys to put their heads up and to be very focused, give maximum concentration on the match. So we have been training very hard and working very hard.

“This game belongs to the players, they have to stand up and prove that they can win these big games. We are looking at it with a positive eye. “I think it’s just a phase, a bad spell that hit us so we are trying to revive (our campaign) so that the old days can come back.

“It’s a fifty-fifty game considering that Gunners is an experienced team.

“They have been in the league for a long time and they have been into the Premiership but we usually rise to the occasion. So I am urging them to come out strong,” said Mutiwekuziva.

Herentals had a good start in the league when the season kicked-off, leading the race in the early games, but they have since dropped to position 11.

Fixtures

Today: Lake Harvest v Karoi United (Nyamhunga), Darwin v DStv Rangers (Pfura), ZRP FC v Blue Swallows (Morris), Black Rhinos v Ngezi Platinum (Commando), Gunners v Herentals (Motor Action), Zatex v Starbill (Alaska), Blue Jets v ZRP Morris (Rimuka), Mushowani v DC Academy (Madziva).