NRB lose 1-0
THE stats tell the sad story of another Richards Bay FC loss that defies belief after an amazing performance, despite going down 1-0 to Polokwane on Wednesday evening.
A positive shots-at-goal difference of 15-5 (7 vs 2 on target) and a 4-1 corner count would surely suggest a comfortable win for the Rich Boyz, who wowed the commentators with a potent display against all odds.
They went onto the King Zwelithini Stadium patch minus in-form star player Justice Figareido and then lost Mthobisi Mngomezulu to a red card in the 14th minute, leaving them one short for the next 80 minutes.
Coach Kaitano Thembo reshuffled the pack, sacrificing a limping Lucky Mohomi for Yanela Mbuthuma, showing his attacking intentions.
And how his boys rallied to the call! The work rate and reorganisation were astounding, to the point where they looked like the team with the extra man.
Hardly a mistake was made, but the one glaring error led to the only goal of the game in first half time added on.
A Polokwane cross across the goalmouth from the left wing took a slight deflection but Salim
Magoola in goal failed to react, a static spectator when he should have dived on the ball and claimed possession.
Instead, it was prodded over the line at the far post by Mokibelo Ramabu for the only goal of the game.
The chances for NRB had come thick and fast in the first half, with Sanele Barns, Boikanyo Komane and Austen Dube all coming close, but especially Somila Ntsundwana who was twice foiled right in front of goal.
The second stanza saw the early departure of Ntsundwana with a knee injury, to be replaced by Letsie Koapeng, who soon after entering the fray shot wide from a Mbuthuma header.
Komane fired fiercely but straight at the keeper and then Koapeng’s leaping header fizzed just wide of the post.
Komane, Koapeng and Abel Mabaso all missed the target as NRB’s all-out attack peppered the Polokwane goals.
Far and away the superior team but with no luck to go with the skill level, exertion and enterprise, the loss was a bitter pill to swallow.
On the positive side, they could not have played any better.
More performances like this will surely lift them from their lowly log position.
There’s a three-week gap until their next assignment, a home fixture against Cape Town City on 29 October and the time off will be welcome in terms of injury recoveries.