Malesela wants top-half finish

Cape Town - Dan Malesela believes Chippa United's current top-half position in the Premiership is deserved and that's where the club is set to stay.

A late goal from Rhulani Manzini on Sunday saw the Chilli Boys pick up a valuable three points away from home in a 1-0 victory over Bloemfontein Celtic.

The win was all the more impressive as the team had made a seven-hour bus journey, but Malesela believes the long trip gave them an advantage as they headed into the fixture in good spirits.

"The fitness of the players was a concern because they were sitting in one place for so long on the bus, but we made sure we did lots of stretches and gave them opportunities to recover," he told TMG Digital.

"At some stages of the match we looked like the home team, such was the positive way that we approached the game and I believe that, having put in such an effort to get there, the players were determined to get the three points.

"But it could have gone either way, Celtic had their chances."

Malesela revealed his mandate upon joining the club was to keep them away from a relegation battle but that has slightly changed as they find themselves in sixth position.

"When I arrived here [in December last year] the aim was survival only and not to be involved in another relegation scrap," he added.

"But now with where we are, we wouldn't want to finish outside the top eight. That would be really disappointing for us.

"As for where we will finish in the top eight, I cannot say, but just to be in the top half would be a big achievement."