Isithombe DURBAN City coach Pitso Dladla.
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Six games without but Durban City haven't looked shaky at all, just lacking a bit of composure up front. A few softer touches to get the ball in the back of the net is what they are missing.
Foundationally, City look solid at the back and in the midfield. Friday night's wet and muddy game against Stellenbosch at Chatsworth Stadium made it difficult for them team to continue their home form.
The rain wasn't the cause for the lack of goals - but it did hammer down for about 30 minutes which turned the pitch into a tiled floor with Handy Handy on it. Chatsworth Stadiums sub-par level drainage didn't help either.
Excuses aside, Durban coach Pitso Dladla acknowledged his team's lack of cool heads in front of goal - which according to him is something they going to go back to the drawing board to discuss.
Unfortunately for Durban, there's just two games left before the close of the season, which leaves little time to readjust now - especially with high levels of fatigue settling in at this late a stage of the season.
Polokwane City have closed the gap on them entirely at 28 points after 28 games. Durban have scored more goals but also conceded more than Polokwane - who look like a dangerous team at the moment.
Polokwane travel to Durban on Saturday to take on Golden Arrows in what promises to be a tight top 8 battle. The best outcome Durban City could hope for is a draw - but either way, Durban will lose their 6th place by the end of Saturday.
Slipping out of the top 8 would be a huge disappointment for the club but it could also be a blessing in disguise, depending on how they view success at this point. Having won the Nedbank Cup, Durban will play CAF football next season.
Add the MTN8 to that schedule and it could become incredibly difficult for a young side to manage. It could be biting off more than they can chew by trying to play in Africa, the PSL, the Nedbank Cup and the MTN8. It could also be a new challenge for them to rise to, that's if they are the cup half full types.
Either way, this young team has come out of the NFD gates swinging and made a name for themselves in just one season. Maintaining consistency has not been their strong suit, neither is having squad depth.
But the Nedbank Cup win has injected a huge sense of belief into the club which could probably see a greater investment into their future. That R7 million payday will surely go a long way helping on that note.
What is unfortunate for Durban though, is Orlando Pirates in Orlando Stadium up next on the cards. An almost impossible task given the form Pirates are in and the level of hunger they have to dethrone Mamelodi Sundowns.
That fixture puts Durban in between a rock and a hard place come May 16 at 3pm. Durban's defensive line will be tested like never before this season with the intensity Pirates seek to close off the season with. The Bucs have a game in hand over Sundowns and that game is against Durban.
It's unlikely Pirates throw away points at home but Durban have the right stuff to pull off an upset.
Jehran Naidoo is sports reporter for Independent Media and social media coordinator of the our YouTube channel The Clutch.