Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter admits his bench players are stepping up their game and giving him a “good problem” when it comes to team selection ahead of their next DStv Premiership clash with Cape Town City.

The Glamour Boys claimed their third consecutive victory in the DStv Premiership following their 3-1 win over Swallows FC at the Dobsonville Stadium this past weekend through a goal from Keagan Dolly and a brace by Khama Billiat.

Amakhosi are now up to second place in the league standings with 22 points, eight points behind log-leaders Mamelodi Sundowns after 13 matches.

Due to injuries, suspensions and a Covid-19 outbreak in the camp, Baxter was forced to make six changes to his squad that took on Swallows, but the Amakhosi mentor praised his fringe players for stepping up in the absence of key players.

“With the three games we’ve had in a very short time, the load on the players has been enormous. We were conscious of the fact. That’s why we had a lot of changes to start with and that’s why we tried to ease the load in the end by putting some of the lads on and I thought Kearyn was excellent in his role. [Siphosakhe] Ntiya-Ntiya came on and also had a very good little cameo. So, it was good,” Baxter told his club’s official website.

“It’s one of those where the lads you think are the starters must make sure they’re up for it now. Because there are lads that are breathing down their necks. Which gives me a good problem.

“The pitch was very troublesome, and the wind was very strong. It made good football quite difficult, but we produced three passages of excellent play that produced three goals. I think we managed the game quite well as it went on. I’m a little bit upset that we conceded a goal. It was a bad mistake, really, for us as a team to concede that, switching off. But all in all, 3-1 in a derby away from home was a good result.”

The Amakhosi mentor was impressed by the performance of his front three, Khama Billiat, Keagan Dolly and Bernard Parker, who played a crucial role in helping Amakhosi walk away with all three points.

“They pressed very well in the first half and that resulted in us getting a couple of very good chances. If you give them an inch, they will take a yard. They found themselves a little bit of space and three goals was the result,” Baxter concluded.