Coach Gavin Hunt is hoping to keep Stellenbosch FC’s top eight hopes alive when his side hosts Orlando Pirates at Athlone Stadium on Tuesday.

The team from the Winelands welcome the Buccaneers to Cape Town for a mid-week encounter that holds potential ramifications for both sides, with Pirates still in the hunt for the league title and Stellies chasing top eight qualification.

“We’ve had a bit of a break since our last game, about ten days, and while we would have preferred to have played sooner, we are looking forward to the game,” Hunt said ahead of the match.

“…We were very disappointed that we lost last week [against Polokwane City] because we shouldn’t have lost or have even drawn that game, so that was disappointing because we could’ve come into this match in a much better situation.

“But, we’re still fighting for the top eight, and we have a chance of achieving that. We have to try. We’ve got four games left, and we’ll probably have to win three of those.”

Tuesday’s encounter will take place amid particularly wet prevailing weather conditions in Cape Town, but Hunt hopes he can use the elements to his side’s benefit against the Soweto giants.

“The weather does affect our approach, because obviously it’s a very different game playing in the rain,” he said.

“The pitch is much heavier and slower, which will hopefully suit us more, because they are one of the best sides in the country in terms of the speed with which they play.

“They create much more chances than other teams in the league, and that’s something we certainly need to be aware of, but it does change a lot in terms of how you approach the game.

“Regardless, though, we have to try to keep the game alive as long as possible and get better as the game wears on, and any result here would be a good outcome for us.”

The Betway Premiership fixture between Stellenbosch FC and Orlando Pirates kicks off at 19h30 and will be broadcast live on SuperSport PSL 202.