Tinkler frets over injuries to key players ahead of tricky away trip to Stars

Cape Town City coach Eric Tinkler could be without five of his first team regulars when the league leaders travel to Bethlehem for a pre-Christmas meeting with Free State Stars in their final match of 2016 on Wednesday.

Definitely out is talismanic captain and top-scorer Lebogang Manyama‚ who is suspended along with Austrian midfielder Roland Putsche‚ a player who has grown in influence over the past few weeks.

The versatile Mpho Matsi also picked up a nasty head injury in the 1-1 draw with SuperSport United on Friday evening and is a doubt‚ along with impressive forward Sibusiso Masina and experienced defender Robyn Johannes.

“Lebogang Manyama and Roland Putsche are out with suspension‚" Tinkler revealed.

"We need to see how [Mpho] Matsi is with a head injury‚ [Sibusiso Masina] has a bit of a knock and was struggling [against SuperSport].

“Robynn [Johannes] and quite a few other guys are feeling the affects … so its important now how we rest them.”

City needed a last-gasp equaliser from Manyama to secure a point against SuperSport that kept them top of the table and Tinkler knows a victory will keep them there through the festive season break.

They were handsome 4-1 winners over Stars in a home Telkom Knockout semifinal last month‚ but meeting Ea Lla Koto away in Bethlehem is an altogether different proposition.

While they won’t quite be riding into town on a donkey‚ Tinkler says it is a complicated place for his side to get to.

“It’s another tough trip‚ it’s always difficult to go to the Free State particularly from Cape Town as we have to go via Jo’burg‚ but we are in a good space now‚” the coach said.

“The result [against SuperSport United] was important for us‚ the disappointment of not getting a result against Platinum [Stars] is obviously in the back of my mind.

"It’s important for us to go there and try and get a point‚ but that will be a difficult task.”

Struggling Stars have not lost at home since the end of September‚ with three wins and two draws in that run. - TMG Digital