Hwange coach Bigboy Mawiwi is known for his calmness and passionate answers in postmatch interviews, but he exhibited a different kind of emotion on Sunday after beating Harare city 2-0 at the Colliery Stadium as the victory lifted his team out of relegation for the first time since he took over mid-season.

Mawiwi was in tears as soon as the final whistle was blown at the Colliery Stadium.

“I was under pressure but I had confidence with my boys and I’m proud of them. There was a lot of pressure on them as well on and off the field but I think we were the better side, we really wanted to win this game, said a teary Mawiwi.”

Mawiwi – who joined Hwange in July following the club’s decision to fire Nation Dube - was expected to turn around Chipangano’s fortunes as the coal miners were stuck deep in the relegation but his task was always going to be difficult as many people had ruled Hwange out from survival.

“You know today (Sunday) I was reading the Chronicle, they said I failed but I’m not a failure and I said God help me, we are fighting I have to prove something because I believe in myself and I’m happy today.”

Going into Sunday’s game, Hwange’s battle for survival had taken an intriguing turn as they hosted an equally troubled Harare City but two second-half goals from Elvis Meleka and Delic Murimba handed Chipangano three crucial points which lifted them out relegation.

Hwange are now in 14th position while Harare City dropped down to 15th place.