Ronwen plays through pain to keep his place from goalkeeping competition at SuperSport

Despite wearing a bandage across the back of his right hand‚ SuperSport United goalkeeper Ronwen Williams is compelled to continue working hard amid the tough competition for goalkeeping places at Matsatsantsa.

Williams‚ who has only been beaten twice in five league games this season‚ revealed that he cannot afford to sit out and nurse his hand injury because he fears if he misses a few matches‚ he may loose his place in the starting line-up.

Competition between the posts is as tough as it can get at SuperSport‚ with Reyaad Pieterse‚ Boafela Pule and Mondli Mpoto waiting in the wings to grab their chance.

"Like‚ now I have a bandage but I need to train‚ I can't sit out because one of them [the reserve keepers] can take the opportunity and take the number one spot‚" said Williams on Thursday ahead of SuperSport's home game against Highlands Park on Sunday.

The Port-Elizabeth-bred shot-stopper‚ who this week described his exclusion from the national team by Bafana Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba as a "slap in the face"‚ said he was delighted with his convincing start to the season and hoped to keep more clean sheets.

"I don't know when last I've had a start like this in a season. It brings back my confidence. I am working out with our goalkeeper-coach [Andre Arsendse] and other keepers as well. Hopefully this season can be a good one for me and it can bring back the old Ronwen.

"[But] Now that Reyaad is here‚ and with Pule pushing hard‚ and even Mondli‚ it's tough‚" he added.

Matsatsantsa will host Highlands Park at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Sunday at 3pm‚ as the Absa Premiership continues following the past week's Fifa international break.

Stuart Baxter's men are placed eighth on the Absa Premiership log standings on six points after five matches while Highlands are 10th on four points‚ but have only played four games.