Pre-Season Friendlies | 19 September 2026
Bush Bucks will put their legs through a proper test on Saturday, lining up for two matches in a single day as part of a four-team pre-season festival at Emaxesibeni Stadium on 19 September 2026. The Mthatha side open the bill at 09:00 against Good Felas FC before returning in the afternoon for a 13:00 meeting with hosts Amaxesibe, the pick of the day’s fixtures for Eastern Cape football followers. With Matatiele City and Good Felas completing the quartet, it is a tidy, competitive way to blow off the cobwebs before the real business begins.
Two games, one afternoon
A double-header is exactly the kind of workout a coaching staff wants at this stage of pre-season. The early kick-off against Good Felas offers a first-choice group the chance to find its rhythm, and the later tie against Amaxesibe lets the bench and the fringe men stake their claims when legs are heavier and the test is stiffer. Minutes in the tank, combinations rehearsed, and a look at the squad under a bit of fatigue — that is the real value of a day like this, far more than any scoreline.
The 13:00 test against Amaxesibe
The afternoon clash with Amaxesibe is the one that will draw the crowd. A meeting of two established Eastern Cape names, on Amaxesibe’s own patch, carries a competitive edge that a routine friendly does not. For Bush Bucks it is a useful measuring stick — a chance to see where they stand against a familiar regional rival before the points start to count, and to road-test the spine of the side in conditions close to a league afternoon.
Final word
Pre-season results are written in sand, and nobody at Bush Bucks will lose sleep over who wins at Emaxesibeni on Saturday. What matters is the work: two games, a full squad run through its paces, and the sharpness that only match minutes can build. Do the job quietly and sensibly here, and the Mthatha club will leave the festival fitter, clearer on its best eleven, and ready for the campaign ahead.
