ERIC TINKLER has urged his players to reduce the errors in their play if they are to get anything out of their upcoming two matches against Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns.
Speaking after his side lost 1-0 to a Stellenbosch FC side they dominated at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Tuesday night, Tinkler said the defeat will not have any negative impact on their confidence going into the contests against the Betway Premiership title favourites.
“No, this result is not a setback,” he told the media during the post-match conference deep in the bowels of the Limpopo capital arena which hosted some of the FIFA 2010 World Cup matches.
“When you play the big ones, the players are always motivated irrespective (what transpired prior). You just wish they could be motivated for the smaller games too. But they will be bright and ready for the game against Pirates (and Sundowns).”
Sekhukhune will host the Buccaneers on Saturday and then welcome the Brazilians on Tuesday in two top of the table clashes that could go a long way towards giving a sense of where the title could go this campaign.
Ba Bina Noko were demoted to fourth place following the loss to a Tsehgofatso Mabasa’s Stellies debut goal, usurped as they were in third place by Kaizer Chiefs who controversially beat Lamontville Golden Arrows 1-0 via an Aiden McCarthy ‘offside’ goal.
Tinkler lamented his players’ errors in the Stellies defeat, the hosts having been so dominant they could have won at a canter. He did admit though that he’d seen this movie many times before.
“It is always difficult to bring up positives especially against Stellies because I’ve played them so many times and my record against them is terrible. I don’t think I’ve won a game against them and 99 percent of the games I’ve lost we have had the better chances; most possession; played better football but I’ve always ended up on the losing side. So it is always difficult for me to bring up the positives because the positives are still a negative because you lost a game – end of story. No one cares about the positives if the result is 1-0.”
