Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
STARBILL coach Wilson Mutekede has conceded that their bid to survive relegation in the Northern Region Division One soccer league is no longer in their hands after suffering a 0-1 defeat at the hands of Ngezi Platinum on Saturday. The seasoned campaigners are on position 15 with 37 points while Darwin and Blue Jets who are also fighting for their survival are occupying position 14 and 13 respectively with 38 points each.

The Northern Region has indicated that they are likely to relegate five teams from the 18-team league at the end of the season. Last year they relegated six teams with three provinces — Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland West and Harare — providing two teams each. But this year Mashonaland Central will promote one team as they have one league running. Usually the provinces have an A and B league and the top teams get promotion into the First Division.

The number of teams to be relegated will also depend on whether there is a team from the region that gets relegated from the Premiership. Already Zatex, Seven Flames and DC Academy have been relegated and will be playing in Division Two next year.

And for Starbill their fate is no longer in their hands with just one game to go before the end of the season. If they win their last game against Blue Swallows they will finish the season with 40 points while Darwin and Blue Jets will finish with 41 points if they also win.

Starbill will be hoping and praying that the two teams ahead of them lose or draw in their last matches while they win to avoid the dreaded chop. Mutekede said their chances of surviving the axe are now slim but they just need to fight until the last game of the season. “In terms of survival, it’s not in our hands anymore. Depending on the number of teams to be relegated what we need is to better our performance and get a good result and then see what happens with the other teams.

“Mathematically it’s still possible because there is still a game to play and if we win and these guys (Darwin and Blue Jets) lose or draw then we are in but if they win and we lose we are out,” said Mutekede.

On Saturday’s defeat Mutekede said they had a bad day in the office as his charges failed to apply themselves in the field of play.

“We didn’t play well and we didn’t deserve to get anything from that game. The boys didn’t come to the party and the result we got is what we bargained for. I don’t know whether it was the heat because the players didn’t apply themselves even in areas where we usually have the tempo. There was no speed, no exertion, it was really bad,” said Mutekede.

ZRP Morris are also not yet safe from the chop as they are on position 12 with 40 points.

Other Results
Cargo Carriers 1, DStv Rangers 0; ZRP FC 4, Seven Flames 1; Black Rhinos 1, Lake Harvest 0; Gunners 2, Darwin 2; Mushowani 3, Blue Jets 0; Herentals 7, Zatex 1; Ngezi Platinum 1, Starbill 0; Blue Swallows 0, ZRP Morris 0.

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