Rich Boyz, poor show
RICHARDS Bay FC saved their worst for the big occasion.
In a dismal Carling Cup semi-final display on Saturday afternoon they were as far off their season’s best form as could be imagined, going down 3-0 to Stellenbosch United.
Absent were the normal cohesive link-ups and inter-passing; instead, balls seldom found their intended target and possession was continually gifted to the Cape side,
It’s not that Stellies were all that good, apart from the fact that they were able to cut off the supply to front runners Sanele Barns and Justice Figuareido.
Barns had little opportunity to show off his skills, and so the normal route to attack was nullified.
Stellies had done their homework on him.
However, NRB were also able to negate the visitors’ forward threat for most of the game.
After a goalless first half,
Stellenbosch scored two unlikely, lucky second half goals that also showed the inexperience of Philasande Manqele in the Bay sticks.
He wasn’t helped by some erratic defending that first saw a harmless lob into the box somehow elude the keeper and end up in the path of Devon Titus who walked it over the line in the 51st minute.
The second goal after 69 minutes was even softer when a corner kick was misread by all the NRB defenders and bounced off Anicet Oura, who knew little about it, and into the net (0-2). Substitute Somila Ntsundwana had a couple of late chances as Richards Bay threw everything into the attack and it was no surprise when the third goal came via Antonia van Wyk after a number of NRB defenders had deserted their posts.
The loss might be a blessing in disguise as number one priority is to get out of the DStv Premiership relegation zone, preferably before the year-end break.
They have an away KZN derby game against Royal AM on Sunday before travelling to Kaizer Chiefs on Saturday 23 December and hosting SuperSport the following week.
Then comes a break until engaging Polokwane on 14 February.
Do we dare hope it will be at the uMhlathuze Stadium?