Experienced campaigner Thabo Matlaba has urged his high-flying Royal AM teammates to remain humble as they chase a second-place finish in the DStv Premiership.

Royal, the surprise package of the season, are having a campaign that few would have predicted as they host Marumo Gallants at Chatsworth Stadium on Wednesday evening.

The Durban-based team are playing in the top tier for the first time after businesswoman owner Shauwn “MaMkhize” Mkhize bought Bloemfontein Celtic franchise a few days before the start of the season.

Royal are second on the Premiership table with 40 points with seven games to go, 11 points behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns.

Their fairytale continued over the weekend when they thrashed TS Galaxy 4-1 to take Royal to eight matches without a defeat in all competitions this year.

Former Orlando Pirates captain Matlaba, who joined Royal from Swallows in January, has warned that becoming too proud can be the downfall of the team from the Zulu kingdom.

“We need to be humbled and not take any team for granted,” Matlaba said.

“If you take teams for granted we will lose games. We are very, very focused and the coach always tells us to be focused, to take every game seriously.”

Coach Dan Malesela’s Gallants are also still in the running for Nedbank Cup after they knocked out Pirates in the last-16, and meet Baroka FC in their quarterfinal at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday.

Royal coach John Maduka is wary of Gallants' quick passing game.

“We expect a very difficult game, but we are playing at home so there’s no excuse," Maduka said.

“Gallants are a team that is very comfortable on the ball with very quick and good players with a good coach as well.We have to plan well and dig deep for a win.”

Gallants will be without Miguel Timm while Royal will miss Tshepo Rikhotso, who are both suspended.