CHICKEN Inn have given up on the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League race despite trailing leaders FC Platinum by 10 points with six games remaining and 18 points to play for before the end of the season.
The GameCocks are on 51 points with FC Platinum on 61 points, but coach Joey Antipas on Saturday said Chicken Inn were now fighting for the runners-up tag and believes no one will now catch-up with the Zvishavane-based side.
Chicken Inn beat relegation-bound WhaWha at Luveve Stadium on Saturday, while rivals Dynamos lost to Ngezi Platinum Stars the next day at the National Sports Stadium.
The GameCocks are now second on the log, a point above the Glamour Boys.
“We have got to try and fight for second place because the first place is now a mountain too high. We are going to try and push for the runners-up (position) and see how it goes,” Antipas said.
Their next game is at Barbourfields Stadium away to relegation-threatened Bulawayo City, who despite the defeat to FC Platinum on Saturday at Mandava, coach Farai Tawachera is still hopeful of surviving the chop.
“To be honest, we had a blinder of a game. Yes, we didn’t win, but the way we played gives us hope that we could survive this. About relegation, I think we are many in that matrix, including all those teams with 31 points, so it’s still game on; but a very big fight for us ahead,” Tawachera said.
Highlanders suffered a set-back on Saturday after being held to a 1-1 draw by Cranborne Bullets at Vengere to remain fourth with 45 points, five behind Dynamos and are also in the fight for the second position.
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The Bulawayo giants will be back at home at the weekend for a tough one against FC Platinum at BF on Sunday.
Bosso face a tough conclusion to the season with fixtures against Chicken Inn, Bulawayo Chiefs, Dynamos, ZPC Kariba and Harare City to come.
Bulawayo Chiefs collected maximum points when they beat Manica Diamonds 1-0 at Luveve on Sunday and they hit the road in the next game to face WhaWha on Saturday at Ascot Stadium.
