By Nigel Matongorere
Highlanders are concerned with their away record this season in the Castle Lager Premiership which has seen them win only four times outside Bulawayo.
Last weekend, the Bulawayo giants’ top four push suffered a huge blow when they drew 1-1 away to bottom side Shabanie Mine at Maglas Stadium.
Gabriel Nyoni had given Bosso a first half lead before they conceded a second half equaliser scored by Fradreck Muza.
The draw left Highlanders in sixth place with 44 points and trailing fourth-placed Triangle United by four points with five games to go.
This season, Bosso’s wins outside the City of Kings came when they beat Herentals, Harare City and Dynamos in Harare and another over Triangle at Gibbo Stadium in Chiredzi.
“We last won away from home some six weeks ago in Triangle; it’s very disappointing and the other disturbing issue is we have gone for those games without scoring,” Bosso assistant coach Mandla Mpofu said after the draw with the Chinda Boys.
“This goal against Shabanie is our first in those matches; it is a positive but overall, we are disappointed with the points dropped.”
Mpofu felt the draw with the Chinda Boys, who are destined for Division One next season, was two points dropped.
“I think its two points lost today for us considering that we were playing a team that is fighting relegation,” he said.
“We came here looking for the three points as we want to move up the ladder and finish in the top four.
“We had a very good game plan as we restricted them to their own half as we looked for scoring opportunities and we got them.
“Remember we missed a penalty, if we had raced into a 2-0 lead in the first half it was going to cushion us.
“We knew that in the second half Shabanie was going to come at us looking for an equaliser and that’s exactly what happened. In as far as we are pleased with a point; this is two points dropped.”
Bosso this season have embarked on a rebuilding exercise with new technical manager Madinda Ndlovu putting faith in young players.
“This year was all about preparation for next season. All the games we have played are preparation games and the most important thing for us is to end in a respectful position; next year we are talking about winning things at all costs,’ Mpofu said.
“These boys have seen how tough and how hard it is; with all these things, they will be ready to challenge next season.
“The boys are learning the hard way, it’s not easy but I think they have matured earlier than expected.”
This weekend, Highlanders have a chance to revive their top four push with a home game against relegation-threatened Bulawayo City at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday.
City are just one place off the bottom with 19 points and will need only a miracle to avoid the chop.
Saturday: ZPC Kariba v CAPS United (Nyamhunga), Ngezi Platinum Stars v Chapungu (Baobab), Nichrut FC v FC Platinum (Ascot), Chicken Inn v Bulawayo Chiefs (Luveve)
Sunday: Mutare City Rovers v Yadah FC (Vengere), Dynamos v Black Rhinos (Rufaro), Triangle United v Herentals (Gibbo), Highlanders v Bulawayo City (Barbourfields), Shabanie Mine v Harare City (Maglas) DailyNews
