Wonderful win puts NRB back in charge
RICHARDS Bay FC did what they do best in shutting out Royal AM 1-0 at the Chatsworth Stadium on Wednesday.
I predicted that with all the personnel back on board after injury, it would be business as usual for the NRB defence that uncharacteristically had been shipping goals in recent games, and so it was.
Watertight at the back and dominating the midfield exchanges, the Rich Boyz earned their 10th clean sheet of the season with a solid display against tough opponents who were not short of attacking ability.
Add to that another solid performance by Malcolm Jacobs in goal and it was just a matter of Richards Bay scoring one goal or more to get the vital three points.
And when it did come, it was a great goal as Simphiwe Mcineka rose magnificently to head home a superbly taken free kick by Bayzel Goldstone in the 18th minute.
There were many more chances as the game continued, most notably a lob from distance by Siyabonga Vilane which was tipped over the bar by the hastily retreating goalkeeper Hugo Nyame.
The result did not do justice to the dominance of the NRB team, who played at a measured tempo with the return of the delightful inter-passing that has characterised their season.
Definitely back in the groove with a result that extended their lead at the top of the GladAfrica log to four points.
But they would not have been resting on their laurels ahead of yesterday’s (Sunday) televised encounter with Sekhukhune United.
Instead, their appetite for victory would have been heightened with possibly no more than three more wins needed to take the title, from five remaining games.
Still to play:
2 May vs Tuks (home)
5 May vs TS Sporting (away) 9 May vs JDR Stars (home) 16 May vs Jomo Cosmos (away) 23 May vs Steenberg Utd (home)