Defeat gives Highbury league title chances a major knock

A VICTORY by Kokstad Liverpool over semi-professional football side Highbury inflicted a major blow to the hopes of the Port Elizabeth team's Eastern Cape ABC Motsepe League championship hopes.

The game, which the visitors won 3-0, was played at the Gelvandale Stadium on Saturday.

The home side started in a positive way but they lost concentration at the back towards the end of the first half.

Highbury, who are now third on the log, needed maximum points to keep the top spot position.

Liverpool controlled the game in the first half and, determined to better their league position, also dominated ball possession in the second stanza, giving Highbury no breathing space.

Highbury have 61 points from 29 games and they are trailing log leaders FC Buffalo from East London by a point.

They have the same points as Queenstown's Angavu Stars, but the Stars are leading on goal difference and they still have a game in hand.

Highbury have one game remaining before the end of the season and it seems they have already lost the championship race. But the title will be decided by the results of the last matches.

Highbury coach Garth Dickinson is still confident that the title chase is not over and the side are still in contention.

The league championship is contested by the top three teams, FC Buffalo, Stars and Highbury.

"We haven't thrown in the towel yet because anything is possible in football. I am not happy with the weekend result and also with the fact that we should have scored more goals during the season.

"We have missed scoring opportunities, but what can I say? That is part of football."

Dickinson said the team would continue fighting. - Mthetho Ndoni