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Santos will take heart from battling weekend display

SANTOS were without four key players for Sunday's trip to Maritzburg United, so they will take a lot of confidence from the away draw ahead of tough upcoming fixtures.

Coach Duncan Crowie said he was pleased with the solitary point from the 1-all draw at Harry Gwala Stadium, even though it did little to lift the former champions from their position deep in the relegation quagmire.

"I didn't want to just go for one point, but under the circumstances I have to be pleased," he said after his side fought back from a half-time deficit.

Santos played without their top strike pairing of Erwin Isaacs and Eleazar Rodgers, as well as Vuyisile Wana and Matthew Pattison - all players who have been capped by Bafana Bafana.

The quartet were suspended for the game but will return for Sunday's Nedbank Cup quarterfinal against AmaZulu, except Isaacs, who has a two-match ban after being sent off last week.

"The way we came back against Maritzburg will give them (the players) a bit of that confidence that we need," said Crowie, whose side are still second from bottom even after moving up to 20 points.

They are now three points away from safety but, after the weekend cup tie, face three exceedingly tough league encounters against SuperSport United, Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns.

"The players have shown character, which is a good sign for those games. Another positive result for us in the cup will be even more important before we go back to the league campaign."

Crowie again insisted relegation would not happen for the Cape Town side, who have tumbled dramatically from the heady heights of a decade ago when they won the 2001-2002 league championship.

"We have six games to go with three of them at home. We definitely can avoid relegation," he said.

But he will be mindful that Jomo Sono has spent recent years vehemently insisting the same, with even more vigour, yet finds his club yo-yo-ing between the top flight and the second division.

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