Mpumalanga Black Aces will have their hands full when they travel to Bloemfontein to take on Bloemfontein Celtic in an Absa Premiership match at Seisa Ramabodu Stadium on Sunday afternoon (kick-off 3.30pm).

Presently, six points and eight places separate the two teams on the league table. Celtic are in sixth place on 18 points whereas Aces are in 14th spot on 12 points.

"Celtic are a good team and more dangerous especially in their back-yard. As Aces, we will give them the respect they deserve but they must expect a tough game. We have to rectify our away record and I believe we can start with our game on Sunday," Aces coach Sammy Troughton told the club's official website.

He added: "We have to win at all costs to move away from the danger zone. I have spoken to the players about the importance of winning the game and they promised to give it their all to ensure that we get the three points at stake."

Both sides will be desperate for a win coming into this game following their last result. Bloemfontein, after an impressive start to the season, have only managed a single league point in their last three fixtures. That point came in their last game where they played to a 3-3 draw with Jomo Cosmos.

Still, 'Phunya Sele Sele' are in a decent position in the league table sitting in sixth place only five points behind the league leaders, SuperSport United.

Aces, on the other hand, are dwindling near the bottom of the table and have clearly struggled since being promoted to the top flight. In their last league match they were beaten 1-0 by Maritzburg United.

These two teams have faced each other 24 times in official league matches since 1985. Of those games Aces have won nine and Celtic only eight.

Their last league encounter came 12 seasons ago when they faced off in the 1996/97 league season. In the corresponding fixture on that occasion the two sides played to a 0-0 draw. But in the reverse fixture Celtic managed a 2-0 win.