Sharp-witted AmaZulu goalkeeper Siyabonga Mbatha has reassured the Usuthu faithful the club won't be relegated.

AmaZulu are threatened by the dreaded axe, having accumulated just 20 points from 21 games. The KwaZulu-Natal outfit are second-bottom in the Absa Premiership. Usuthu host provincial Nemesis Golden Arrows at Kings Park Stadium tomorrow (8.15pm).

Mbatha, who alongside the side's top-scorer Bonginkosi Ntuli have been stand-out performers this season for the club, has promised their fans that the club will still be in the top-flight come end of season.

"It's been an awful season for us and we take full responsibility for that as players, but I can tell our beloved supporters that we will retain our status. We won't let the people who love Usuthu down," Mbatha told Sowetan yesterday.

Usuthu's poor campaign hit a new low when they surrendered their lead to lose 4-1 away to Bloemfontein Celtic in the first phase of the Nedbank Cup last Saturday. Mbatha feels the defeat at Dr Molemela Stadium taught them some valuable lessons.

"We didn't come to the party against Celtic and that match was an eye-opener for us. We took a lot of lessons out of it, like that we must defend as a unit, we learnt it there because we were not doing it," Mbatha said.

The shot-stopper admits that in tomorrow's derby against Abafana Bes'thende, it's them who are under pressure. "Yes it's a derby and the stakes are high, but the pressure is more on us.

"Arrows can easily say 'let's just frustrate them and play for a draw at least'. they can sit back, but we can't afford that because we are fighting for our lives. It's also important to bring our A-game because winning can do wonders for your confidence."