Playoff draw by brave NRB not enough
UNABLE to make the most of a surfeit of ball in the second half, Richards Bay FC shared a 1-1 result with Chippa United at the uMhlathuze Stadium on Saturday.
Gutsy 1-1 draw fails to keep PSL promotion hopes alive
This was not enough to overturn the aggregate score after losing 2-1 in the first game of the PSL playoffs.
After a goalless but certainly not boring first half in which both sides were more concerned about not conceding, Richards Bay came out for the second stanza with the afterburners blazing, creating two clear chances within minutes.
The game ebbed and flowed for the next while until, with Chippa on the counter, NRB left Maloisane unmarked right in front of goal and he squared the ball past the outstretched leg of home keeper Malcolm Jacobs in the 56th minute (0-1).
At this juncture Richards Bay took over with Katleho Maphathe wasting a chance by shooting wildly over the top and a minute later failing to get the best of a one-on-one with Isma Watenga in the Chippa goals.
Chances kept coming and Siyabonga Vilane nodded home Tshepo Mabua’s superb cross from the left in the 72nd minute to give concrete proof of NRB’s dominance (1-1).
They were winning every ball and with Vilane causing all sorts of problems, coach Allan Freese brought on attacking subs while Chippa loaded their defence to try to stem the flow of home assaults.
A poor offside decision by the linesman robbed the Bay of a good chance before Vilane headed wide late in the game and Lwandile Mabuya was also off target.
Vilane had a final chance for NRB from a long free kick taken by Jacobs, but the ball got stuck under his feet and the moment passed.
Richards Bay can be proud of their effort and, ironically, could still hold the PSL promotion key as Royal AM are due to travel here on Monday and then to PE to play Chippa on Wednesday.
Don’t hold your breath on them honouring those fixtures.
* Open your PixzAR app and scan the framed image to see after-match response from the NRB coach