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Tinkler: Title race not over

Cape Town - Orlando Pirates caretaker coach Eric Tinkler is refusing to give up on the Premiership title this season, despite falling 18 points behind league leaders Kaizer Chiefs.

READ: Johnson linked with Bucs job.

The Buccaneers suffered a fifth defeat of the campaign on Saturday after going down 2-0 to bitter rivals Kaizer Chiefs in the Soweto Derby at the FNB Stadium, leaving themselves ninth in the standings.

Things get no easier for the Sea Robbers, either, as they are next in action against defending South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns, but a stubborn Tinkler insists he will keep fighting until the bitter end, or at least until they are mathematically no longer in the title equation.

"Obviously it is very difficult," Tinkler is quoted as saying by Kick Off. "We've now lost five games and any team that loses up to six games realistically it becomes very, very difficult.

"But the fact of the matter is there are still 51 points for us try and win. The season is far from over because we haven't even reached the halfway mark.

"For me, it is important that I remain positive until mathematically it is not possible. As I stated before, I would be the reflection of the players. If I start giving up now, how do you think the players are going to react to that?

"I strongly believe we still stand a great chance. We just have to get a win under our belt and that could turn our season. We have a game against Sundowns and we must get the three points to turn our season around."
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