Stellenbosch get their reward for sticking with Barker

Stellenbosch get their reward for sticking with Barker

Stellenbosch FC are bang in form and have turned their season around from the brink of a relegation battle to a Nedbank Cup quarter-final slot and possibly a top-eight place in the PSL.

They had no wins in nine when they slumped to a 4-1 loss to Orlando Pirates in January and looked a team bereft of confidence and ideas. But after coming from 2-0 down to beat Cape Town City 3-2 in their next game, they have looked a different side. They have now won five of their last six matches, the only blemish being a 1-1 draw with Sundowns that ended the Brazilians’ 15-game winning streak in the DStv Premiership. That, in itself, must feel like another win.

They netted only five goals in those nine games without a win, but have scored 17 in the next six matches, culminating in last Sunday’s remarkable 6-3 cup victory at TS Galaxy.

The catalyst for that scoring form has been Iqraam Rayners. The transformation in this striker since his return to Stellenbosch from SuperSport United has been remarkable. He managed just five goals in two-and-a-half seasons with Matsatsantsa, but has banged in eight in five games since returning to the Cape Winelands in January. That tally comprises four in the league and four in the Nedbank Cup, last weekend helping Stellies to their first Nedbank quarter-final.

Stellenbosch must also be congratulated for sticking by coach Steve Barker through thick and thin over the last few seasons. He helped them to promotion much sooner than even the club expected and it then became a scramble to secure the right players to retain their top-flight status. He is the longest serving coach in the DStv Premiership, having been appointed in July 2017, and he continues to help the club churn out a swathe of young talent.

Their recent turnaround in fortunes also came in the wake of the tragic death of young defender Oshwin Andries, who was stabbed at a local tavern in late January and died from his injuries a week later. But this is a tight-knit community club and they have rallied together.