‘Injuries reason for Bay’s slump’

Top-8 is Rich Boyz goal

Having been punching way above their weight as rookies this season, cracks are starting to show in Richards Bay’s performances.

Bay face a blunt Swallows side at Dobsonville Stadium tonight (6pm). Swallows are winless and goalless in their last three league outings with a defeat and two draws.

A fortnight ago, secondplaced Bay surrendered a lead and scored an own goal via Harold Majadibodu to settle for a 1-all draw against SuperSport United in a game where they also missed a penalty just two minutes before the end of regulation time in Tshwane.

Left-back Tshepo Mabua missed the spot-kick that would have bagged maximum points for Natal Rich Boys.

The disappointing stalemate at SuperSport was followed by another 1-1 draw at home to KZN rivals AmaZulu. Again, Bay uncharacteristically put in a lacklustre display, making a few defensive errors.

To their credit, they snatched a point after coming from behind, thanks to Katlego Maphathe’s stoppage time strike that cancelled out a goal Thabo Qalinge had netted in the first half.

Amid their recent regression, Bay co-coach Vasili Manousakis has bemoaned injuries to key players.

“We had only [Ntsikelelo] Nyauza as a recognised centreback in recent weeks... we then used [Tshepo] Mabua, who’ sa left-back as a left-sided centreback. We’ve lost the balance in the midfield, Mpho Mathebula is out for six weeks... it’s not an excuse because other teams also have injuries but we have to understand that we have a thin squad,” Manousakis said.

Manousakis steers the Bay ship alongside Pitso Dladla. Despite their lofty position as second placed team behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, Manousakis talks of a quest to remain inside the top-eight.

“We must stay in the topeight, that is our goal now after getting to 31 points.”