South African Premiership bottom club Chippa United missed out on a hat-trick of victories when held 0-0 at home by fellow strugglers Baroka on Sunday.

A third straight win would have lifted the Port Elizabeth-based outfit up the table after occupying last place for most of the 13 rounds played so far.

It was a poor match between teams with two of the worst scoring records in the Premiership this season.

Baroka, whose home ground is in northern city Polokwane, have found the net just seven times, once less than Chippa.

"We were not at our best today," admitted Norman Mapeza, the Chippa coach and former Zimbabwe captain and coach.

"It was a flat performance and we lacked creativity with our only first-half chance falling to a defender.

"Playing twice within five days seemed to affect the players, but the belief is there that we can climb away from the relegation zone."

Baroka coach and former Zambia forward Wedson Nyirenda blamed his forwards for not securing maximum points.

"We had targeted three points from this match only to be let down by a lack of clinical finishing."

The other Sunday match, between second-last AmaZulu and 10th-place Maritzburg United in Durban, also ended in a 0-0 stalemate.