Leopards claw apart ten-man Bay FC
FROM a goalless first half to a 4-0 thumping at the hands of Black Leopards at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Sunday.
That’s the sorry story of Richards Bay FC’s third-last opportunity to prevent relegation from the National First Division. The massive turnaround in fortunes can without doubt be attributed to the sending off of Kulegani Madondo in referee’s optional time just before the break. Not only did it reduce the NRB boys to 10 men for the entire second half, it robbed them of a player who had been highly influential in a superb first-half display that had frustrated a home side expecting an easy outing.
The sending off was certainly justified, as Madondo in fact paid the price for his total commitment to the cause.
His two over-zealous challenges from behind both tripped the trailing leg of his target and the math never changes: one yellow plus one yellow equals one red.
The first stanza from caretaker coach Sello Ntuli’s boys had revealed brilliant strategy.
Up against a Leopards side seriously challenging for promotion to the PSL, the hit-andrun tactic so often came close to paying dividends on the counter.
The hard-working Menzi Hlophe, who was surprisingly substituted at the break, headed a superbly angled Stanley Muishond free kick directly at the keeper in a close call.
Hlophe then became provider when his corner kick soared just centimetres over the head of the arriving Thabiso Nkoana.
But the best chance of the first half was still to come, involving the same two players, as Hlophe robbed the defender and burst through the vacant space behind the back four.
One-on-one with Moleka in the Leopards’ goals, Hlophe unselfishly squared the ball to Nkoana who did everything right, but his on-target strike was thwarted by an incredible save from the home stopper.
The less said about the second half, the better.
A man missing and visibly tiring from the altitude and having to cover extra ground, the NRB boys were unravelled by goals in the 57th and 58th minutes, offering just token efforts by way of their own attacks (0-2).
Richards Bay skipper Xolani Ngcobo pulled off a brilliant double save in the 76th minute, but there was no defender on hand to prevent the third goal from his deflection (0-3), while the fourth also came when the goalmouth was left unattended and the home team duly obliged (0-4).
While a win was always a long shot, NRB now have no choice but to take full points from their remaining two games as they attempt to avoid relegation alongside already condemned Mthatha Bucks.
On 28 points, they now stand in penultimate place (15th), with a home game against Ubuntu (29 points, 13th place) this Sunday and a trip to Mbombela (33 points, 10th place) on Sunday 6 May.
Incredibly, with six more points still available, Richards Bay have a mathematical chance of rising to ninth position should other results favour them.
A mere six points separate seven teams at the base of the log, so these are do-or-die times.
With little to choose between them, it’s going to come down to character and fighting spirit.