Wynberg St Johns young squad shows promise despite Premier Cup exit
Wynberg St John's Jermaine Madondo controls the ball in the middle of the park under pressure from Seaside's Taswell Witbooi.
Image: Buntu Gotywa
Wynberg St John came close to securing a return to the prestigious Bayhill Premier Cup after a spirited run in the play-off stages came to an end at the weekend.
The side bowed out following a narrow 1- 0 defeat to Seaside Spurs during round four of the Bayhill play-offs, played at the Langa Sports Complex.
It was a bitter end to what had been a promising campaign for the Wynberg outfit, who showed resilience and maturity well beyond their years throughout the qualifying rounds.
Despite missing out on a place in the Easter weekend showpiece, head coach Graeme Florus was full of praise for his players and the effort they displayed during the play-offs.
Wynberg St John had already come through a tough test a week earlier when they faced Kalksteenfontein AFC in a tightly contested encounter.
That match ended 2–2 after regulation time before Wynberg held their nerve in the penalty shootout, edging their opponents 4–3 to advance.
The victory set up the clash against Seaside Spurs, where the margins once again proved fine.
Wynberg St John's captain Yarwick Allison control posession in the middle of the park.
Image: Buntu Gotywa
Florus highlighted the youthful nature of his squad as one of the major positives to take from the campaign. The majority of the team is made up of players aged between 16 and 17, a factor that gives the club optimism heading into the future.
“The positives are that about 80 percent of the boys are between 16 and 17 years old,” said Florus. “I have lot to build on in terms of developing them for a year and build on that momentum and be equipped for Bayhill play-offs in 2027.”
Knockout football also has an unforgiving nature about it, where there is little room for error and only one opportunity to execute a game plan effectively.
Despite the disappointment of elimination, Florus made it clear that the team would not dwell on the result.
Wynberg St John's Wade Engelbrecht with a strong tackle against Cole Daniels.
Image: Buntu gotywa
“I am super proud of the team’s effort, of course, I would have loved to progress further in the tournament," he said.
Looking ahead, Wynberg St John will now turn their attention to the upcoming league season in the Cape Town Tygerberg Football Association.
The club is entering its 13th season in the competition and has previously tasted success, having been crowned league champions in 2022.
With a talented and youthful squad gaining valuable experience on big stages such as the Bayhill play-offs, Florus believes the foundation has been laid for sustained growth and a brighter future for the club.