Pointless showing by Rich Boyz
WHILE they showed a few glimpses of just how good they can be, the overall performance of Richards Bay FC on Friday night was dismal.
Going down 1-0 to DStv Premiership basement dwellers Cape Town Spurs at the Athlone Stadium was beyond disappointing: it was sub-standard.
After wins in their previous two games and keen to close the points gap on the teams above them, one would have expected far more fire from the NRB side.
Instead, it was the home team that showed more energy and passion – not that they were all that impressive either.
Perhaps the strong, gusty wind that howled all night affected the performances.
The result hinged on two significant incidents.
The first was shortly before the end of a scoreless first half, when a thunderous shot from Moses Mthembu rattled the goalpost but didn’t shake the net.
Had it done so, the entire complexion of the game would have changed.
As it happened, the match dragged on with a draw looking inevitable, until the second significant event – and a fatal one it was for Richards Bay.
A harmless long ball on the counter should have been dealt with in the air by the central defenders but wasn’t and NRB keeper Salim Magoola, who had come out of his goal, saw Azola Jakalashe’s soft flickon go over his head and bounce into his unguarded net (0-1).
A pity, as Magoola was having another fine game until that point, and he won’t want to watch the replays.
With only four minutes of the 90 left, Richards
Bay piled on the pressure, winning a few corners but nobody getting onto the end of Sanele Barns’ crosses, as had been the case all night.
Few NRB players will have been happy with their individual performances after the final whistle blew, but Zwandile Mabuya was the pick of the tired-looking bunch.
Maybe the months of extra travel with no home ground matches has caught up with them; most certainly, the lack of an out-and-out striker has cost the club.
But there is little time for mourning a chance gone a-begging, as the boys are back on the field tomorrow (Tuesday) evening against AmaZulu.
With five games left in the league season and 15 points in the offing, there is still every chance that Richards Bay, who are on 20 points, can hunt down Swallows (26), Royal AM (29) and Polokwane (30).
However, they will have to be on their best, most consistent form to do so.