Cape Town Spurs plunge deeper into darkness with sixth consecutive defeat, matching 24-year record

Cape Town Spurs are now deep in crisis mode, having endured their sixth consecutive loss of the 2023/24 DStv Premiership season.

Their latest setback came in the form of a 2-1 loss to Golden Arrows at a rain-soaked and blustery Athlone Stadium on Tuesday, leaving them anchored to the bottom of the log.

Spurs find themselves now sharing an undesirable record as only once before in Premiership history has a team lost the opening six matches of a season. That unfortunate distinction belonged to Umtata Bush Bucks during the 1999/00 campaign.

The Urban Warriors, led by former Bafana Bafana striker Shaun Bartlett as their head coach, have faced a challenging start to the season. They were defeated by TS Galaxy (1-0), Sekhukhune United (2-0), Polokwane City (3-1), Chippa United (1-0), Swallows (3-1), and now by an Arrows side holding firmly onto second spot in the league with 14 points, comprising four wins, two draws, and one loss.

Although it seemed that Bartlett's charges were on the path to recovery after Ashley Cupido's 16th-minute opener, a second-half brace by substitute Lungelo Nguse propelled Arrows to their fourth victory in six league matches.

Meanwhile, in another part of the city, some 45 kilometres away amidst a rare Cape Spring storm, Steve Komphela's Moroka Swallows, who had travelled from Gauteng, secured a 2-0 victory against Stellenbosch FC at the Danie Craven Stadium. The goals came courtesy of Ntsako Makhubela and Tshegofatso Mabasa.

Over at the King Zwelithini Stadium in Durban, Richards Bay faced a 2-1 defeat on their home turf against Chippa United, with Elmo Kambindu notching a brace to secure the three points.

Tuesday, 19 September

Cape Town Spurs 1-2 Golden Arrows

Stellenbosch FC 0-2 Swallows

Richards Bay 1-2