AmaZulu will be looking to bounce back to winning ways when they host neighbours Golden Arrows in a KwaZulu-Natal derby at the Chatsworth Stadium on Wednesday evening (kick-off 7.30pm).

AmaZulu have had a nightmare start to their 2009/10 Absa Premiership campaign, winning just one of their first eight fixtures. The popular coastal side have not won any of their last six Premiership matches and sit in 16th place on the log.

'Usuthu' fell to a 2-0 defeat away to Mpumalanga Black Aces this past weekend ? it was the club's third straight loss and the third successive game in which they have failed to score.

"I think the most recent match in Mpumalanga was not a reflection of how we play. It wasn't a great venue to begin with but it is not an excuse, both teams had an even discomfort," AmaZulu Technical Director Clive Barker told the club's official website.

He added: "It is true that we were disappointing on Sunday and never played with the authority that we are capable of playing with. The players are fortunate that they have a local derby against Golden Arrows to redeem themselves in.

"It is now important that we start to picking up points consistently, otherwise the thought of challenging for this year's championship is likely not to materialize."

Meanwhile, Arrows have not fared much better than their rivals. The top eight cup finalists have also won just once in the league this year, but at least they have managed six draws (more than any other team in the PSL) to sit in 10th place on nine points, some six positions and four points better off than AmaZulu.

The teams have already met twice this season, with Arrows winning a two-legged top eight cup semifinal 4-1 on aggregate after 2-1 (away leg) and 2-0 (home leg) victories.

As far as league encounters are concerned, the two KwaZulu-Natal sides have met 10 times since the 2001/02 season. 'Abafana Bes'thende' have won five games to ?Usuthu?s three and outscored the men in green and white 11 goals to seven.

However, AmaZulu definitely had the better of Arrows last season, winning both home (2-0) and away (1-0) in the clubs? two Absa Premiership matches.