No margin for error in top eight chase admits Stellenbosch head coach Gavin Hunt

Gavin Hunt coach of Stellenbsch FC during the Betway Premiership 2025/26 match between Kaizer Chiefs and Stellenbosch FC at the FNB Stadium in Nasrec on the 24 February 2026 ©Sydney Mahlangu BackpagePix

The Cape Winelands club suffered a 2-0 defeat to a title-chasing Orlando Pirates at the Athlone Stadium on Tuesday night.

First half goals from Evidence Makgopa and Patrick Maswanganyi sealed the win to leave Stellies in 10th place on the standings with 32 points from 27 games – three adrift of Golden Arrows in eighth place.

Hunt’s side finish their season with games against Durban City, Orbit College and Marumo Gallants.

“Yeah, I think we need nine points, I think we’re gonna have to win three games now,” he said after the Bucs defeat.

READ: Gavin Hunt talks up Stellies’ top-eight chances in Betway Premiership run-in

“I thought we should have won last week [against Polokwane City] and I thought we could get a point tonight and then we could go from there but I think we’re gonna have to win three games, you know.

“And you know it’s two teams at the bottom, well Durban City not so it’s gonna be tough because obviously they’ll be fighting for their lives there. I mean 41 points could get us in there you know,” Hunt added.

Reflecting on the game against Pirates, the experienced mentor added: “Yeah look, I mean obviously disappointed with the result, I thought we lost a fight not a football match.

“I thought we didn’t handle their directiveness and they played off that and you know you gotta be better.

“You know we shouldn’t be conceding from a standard situation which we did but we’ve done well with the players, where we were and we’ll compete again certainly with this team when we fix things up.”