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Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter

WHAWHA’s quest to pick the maximum points in consecutive games for the first time this season faces a huge test as they will have to do that without their two most prolific strikers who are suspended for the Castle Lager Premiership football game against Herentals at the National Sports Stadium this Friday.

The Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services team have been struggling in the top-flight and sit second from bottom on the log standings.

But, they are walking with a spring in their step following a deserved 2-1 victory over giants Highlanders at Ascot last Sunday.

However, their top strikers, Albert Matewu, who notched a double in that match, would be red-carded in the same match while another forward Jayden Barake received his third yellow card and the two will both be suspended when the Gweru side meet The Students.

Barake is the team’s top scorer with eight goals to his name and he is in the running for the league’s Golden Boot given the leading scorer, William Manondo of CAPS United has scored 12 goals this term.

On the other hand, Matewu is Whawha’s second top scorer with four goals and coach Luke Jukulile has expressed his concern on the pair’s absence for the match against the Kumbirai Mutiwekuziva’s charges.

“It’s a huge blow going into a crucial battle without the two key players for my team. If you look at it, these two have not just scored goals but they have also contributed in defence and the general creativity of the team,” said Jukulile.

“But that is the nature of the game and we will try to play our normal game.”

Jukulile could turn to Butho Phiri and his son Takudzwa for goals or the promising Mapuwa brothers, Washington and Wellington.

Herentals won the reverse fixture 3-0 at Ascot in February.