Bartlett, who was on target for The Amakhosi early on in his Chiefs career during against their arch rivals during the pre season Vodacom Challenge competition in July last year, was on target as he helped Chiefs defeat Pirates 2-0 and that victory set up a Vodacom Challenge final date with Manchester United which The Amakhosi won via a penalty shoot out.

His second goal against Pirates in December when the two teams met in the first round of league action, came in dramatic fashion as Bartlett who entered the FNB Stadium field as a second half substitute, got on the end of a Siyabonga Nkosi corner. Well into injury time at the end of the game, Bartlett was able to find an equalizer for Chiefs and broke Pirates' hearts by stealing a point for The Amakhosi from a seemingly lost situation.

There will be no such heroics from the vastly experienced former African Cup of Nations winner, as Bartlett was one of four Chiefs' players who received yellow cards during Chiefs recent 3-1 loss to Santos.

Three of the quartet of Chiefs players who were cautioned in Port Elizabeth - namely Gerald Sibeko, Jimmy Tau and Bartlett - already had two bookings going into the game, and by virtue of collecting their third yellow cards of the season will have to sit out Saturday’s Soweto derby against Pirates.

Bartlett was relishing the opportunity of once again causing heartache to the Ghosts, but he will now attend the game as a spectator.

The Chiefs striker is still finding it hard to understand why he received a card against Santos during Sunday’s game, saying “If I could have I would have appealed the card I received on Sunday. The thing is that the assistant referee claimed I elbowed Edries Burton so he call over the referee who called me over and carded me. Burton himself claimed I kneed him in the back but I can categorically say that I was nowhere near him.”

Taking his place in the stands on Saturday will be scant consolation for Bartlett who had grander plans for the first game to be played between the two Soweto rivals at Ellis Park since the 11th April 2001.

Bartlett said “I had set my sights on working towards being on target on Saturday; with me being unavailable I will now get behind the team and lend my voice to the cause on Saturday.”

Chiefs defender Jimmy Tau, like Bartlett, collected his third yellow card of the season on Sunday and he will now miss the opportunity of upholding his record of never having lost to Pirates since becoming a Chiefs player at the start of the 2005 – 2006 season.

Tau spoke to kaizerchiefs.com about his disappointment of having to sit out the chance of playing against his old friends and said “I am still at pains to figure out why I was booked on Sunday, and the worst part of it is that I now have to sit out a big game like the Soweto derby.”

While Tau and Bartlett will be thinking about what might have been on Saturday afternoon, Tinashe Nengomasha will be available for selection after completing a two-match ban for being sent off during Chiefs' 1-1 draw with Swallows on the 1st April.

The no nonsense midfield strong man, nicked named by his legions of fans as The General, was on song for the Chiefs' reserves on Monday afternoon when they took on and defeated a strong Mamelodi Sundowns reserve team.

After the game on Monday, Nengomasha spoke to kaizerchiefs.com about getting his match fitness back and his eagerness to put on a good showing in Saturday’s eagerly awaited derby.

Tinashe said “Having the opportunity to face up to a player like David Kannemeyer on Monday afternoon, was the perfect practice for Saturday's game. Sundowns pushed us all the way on Monday and after the game I felt that I got the game time I was looking for and I was happy with my personal performance during the match against Sundowns.”

The 2003 – 2004 PSL Player of the year believes that Chiefs can go all the way and win the game on Saturday, “We have not been at our best in the past three games and we really needed a game against Pirates to get us going. When it comes to this game no player needs any motivating and all the guys want to win the game as it will give our fans bragging rights over their friends who support Pirates.”

While many newspapers have written off the game as being a non event due to the fact that both teams have very little to play for with three games of the season remaining, they have not ruled out the pride factor. Both teams might not have lived up to their pre-season billing, defeating the arch enemy will bring sunshine to a season where so much more was expected. For Chiefs there is the added incentive of extending their unbeaten run against Pirates which extends back to October 2004.