The Team of Choice travbel to Cape Town, where they meet Santos in a 2011 Telkom Knockout first round fixture.

Both sides go into this game on the back of heavy defeats: Maritzburg lost 7-0 to SuperSport, while Santos lost 4-1 away to Platinum Stars.

Last season the PMB side had a good run in the Telkom Cup, making it to the semi-finals before losing to Orlando Pirates.

United skipper Fadlu Davids believes the memory of that run can serve as inspiration this time around.

“The guys got a good taste of what success could feel like,” Davids told PSL.co.za.

“I think that little bite they had has made them want more. I think last season was reasonably successful in that sense and we are now hoping to build on that and our good start to the new season when we play Santos.”

Davids has himself lifted the Telkom Knockout trophy, during his time at Platinum Stars (then Silver Stars).

Going back to last week’s thrashing by SuperSport, Davids says the players have managed to put this setback behind them and will not be suffering any kind of hangover going into Friday night’s game at Athlone.

“I think it was a freak result. They were very clinical and precise with their attacking play, but that’s history now and the result will have no bearing on how we prepare for this week.

“If it was just a normal 1-0 or 2-0 loss, there wouldn’t have been so much hype about the loss, but because it was 7-0 and we are so close to the top more is being made of it.

“It’s not such a big deal that we lost, it’s the way we did it. I think the good thing about the Santos match is that it has come quickly and is in a different competition, so we have a perfect chance to bounce straight back.”

Now the Team of Choice are keen to underline their positive start to the season with a good cup run, which could see them reaching the final by winning just three matches.

“The guys know that in a competition like the Telkom Knockout, it’s just four games. If you can win your first two, then you are in the semi-final.

“We definitely see winning this competition as being within our reach, although we do want to take it one game at a time and get over that first hurdle first. The guys are hungry for success and with a coach like Ian Palmer, he is always setting goals for us and we know are capable of reaching those goals.”