• Eagles fly high as Lancashire stall • Chitembwe new CAPS United coach • PSL play-offs enter critical stage • Madinda Ndlovu unveiled as Highlanders coach • Lancashire lead play-offs mini-league • Chikwaikwai named Soccer Star of the Year • CAPS United survive, Monomotapa claim their prize • Monmomotapa clinch premiership title • Dynamos slash Monomotapa's lead with emphatic win • Monomotapa, Dynamos set up tantalising season finale • Monomotapa get in mood for big party • 2008 Premier Soccer League Fixtures

Posted to the web: 12/01/2009 10:57:45
LANCASHIRE Steel have been relegated from the Premier Soccer League after 15 years following their decision to pull out of the four-team play-offs.

Eastern Region Division One club Eagles take Lancashire’s place in the 16-team league after beating Mwana Africa 2-0 over the weekend to take an unassailable 13-point lead.

Lancashire, who could only achieve a maximum of 13 points, refused to play Shabanie Mine after launching a strong protest over a US$3,100 fine imposed on them for failing to control their players in the 2-1 defeat at Eagles last Wednesday.

The play-offs ended with one more round of matches to play for Eagles and Mwana Africa (no points) and two for Lancashire who had 7 points, and Shabanie Mine on 6.

ZIFA have threatened to ban Lancashire Steel from all forms of football in Zimbabwe over their decision to pull-out of the play-offs.

The Lancashire furore has overshadowed Eagles’ remarkable arrival on the big stage after they upstaged three teams which all had a Premier League background. On their way to winning the play-offs, they beat Shabanie 3-1 and drew 2-2 with Lancashire before winning the reverse fixture 2-1. They twice beat Mwana Africa (3-1; 2-0) and still had an outstanding fixture with Shabanie which they will not have to play.

Lancashire will now face fresh disciplinary woes and may see their fine increased – a worst possible start to life in the lower league.

They had been slapped with a US$2,100 fine for failing to control their players who mobbed referee Ronald Mwanjira after their defeat at Eagles. Eagles themselves had been fined $800.

After the fines had been announced, ZIFA again wrote to the Midlands club announcing the fines had been increased to $3,100 – taking into consideration their late arrival at the match and using an undesignated entry point. Lancashire argue they were never given a chance to make their case.

"We have decided to pull out of these play-offs because a lot of things appear designed to frustrate us,” a Lancashire spokesman said.

Sunday's PSL Play-off Results:

Eagles 2-0 Mwana Africa

2008 Premier Soccer League Play-Offs:

TEAM	P	W	D	L	F	A	PTS
Eagles	5	4	1	0	12	5	13
Lancashire Steel	4	2	1	1	12	7	7
Shabanie Mine	4	2	0	2	6	9	6
Mwana Africa	5	0	0	5	4	14	0

2008 CBZ Premier Soccer League Top Goal Scorers:

23 GOALS: Evans Chikwaikwai (Njube Sundowns)
16 GOALS: Cuthberth Malajila (Highlanders)
15 GOALS: Edward Sadomba (Dynamos)
11 GOALS: Charles Chiutsa (Monomotapa)
9 GOALS: Douglas Zimbago (Highlanders)
8 GOALS: Daniel Zokoto (Monomotapa)
8 GOALS: Phillip Makanje (Lancashire Steel)
8 GOALS: Norman Maroto (Dynamos)
7 GOALS: Makai Kawashu (Monomotapa)
7 GOALS: Tendai Nyamadzawo (Lengthens)

2008 CBZ Premier Soccer League Final Standings:

TEAM		Played	Won	Drew	Lost	G/F	G/A	Points
1	C - Monomotapa	30	18	6	6	41	28	60
2	Dynamos	30	16	10	4	41	25	58
3	Njube Sundowns	30	15	3	12	42	36	48
4	Shooting Stars	30	12	8	10	37	26	44
5	Lengthens	30	11	8	11	37	41	41
6	Gunners	30	10	10	10	42	39	40
7	Highlanders	30	9	15	6	34	25	39
8	Kiglon	30	9	12	9	31	32	39
9	Underhill	30	9	11	10	38	44	38
10	Eastern Lions	30	9	11	10	24	27	38
11	Motor Action	30	11	4	15	32	42	37
12	CAPS United	30	8	12	10	35	32	36
13	P/O - Lancashire	30	10	6	14	37	45	36
14	R - Chapungu	30	9	7	14	31	32	34
15	R - Masvingo United	30	8	9	13	34	49	33
16*	R - CAPS FC	29	5	10	15	29	40	25
* Docked 3 points for using suspended player v Motor Action

JOIN THE DISCUSSION ON THE NEWZIMBABWE.COM FORUMS
sports@newzimbabwe.com