Richards Bay keen to topple log leaders
RICHARDS Bay FC will be out to cause the upset of the season when they travel to the Makhulong Stadium to take on NFD log leaders Highlands Park on Sunday afternoon. Still smarting after suffering a 5-2 hammering from Royal Eagles last time out, the NRB boys will be keen to bounce back. Feedback from the game is that goalkeeper/captain Xolani Ngcobo, who was red-carded early on, had handled the ball just outside the box, with no threat of the opponents scoring – surely just a yellow card offence.
Key attacker Stanley Muishond was pulled off to make way for a substitute stopper, only for in form main striker Michael Roelf being forced to go off with a hip injury mere minutes later.
It says a lot for the character of the side that they were still able to score two goals minus the top duo up front.
In fact, they pulled the score back to 3-2 before tiring at the death and conceding twice more.
Of interest, Royal Eagles, although occupying a lowly 13th position on the log, are the league’s highest goal scorers with 32 goals netted in this campaign.
‘I am extremely impressed with the way we played. We were in the contest all the way despite the odds being against us,’ said head coach Jean Losciuto.
‘This is a good side and we will go on to win many more points this season.’
New signings
Meanwhile, Losciuto’s squad has been bolstered with two excellent new signings – both front men.
Ghanaian attacker Junior Mensah (27), ex-Black Leopards campaigner with CAF Cup experience playing for Gabonese outfit Mounana, should have his work papers in order to make the trip on Sunday.
Also at practice on Tuesday this week was Madumetja Khwinana, formerly of Royal Eagles and Mthatha Bucks.
An outstanding crosser of the ball, he will be another sharp arrow in the quiver of NRB’s offensive bow.
While Richards Bay have a tough task on their hands going into the weekend, the Lions of the North are far from invincible; they have lost three and drawn four of their games this season and at times have looked vulnerable.
The key to NRB winning will lie in being able to prise open Highlands’ miserly defence, which has only conceded nine goals in 18 matches to date.
Hopefully the new recruits will help them accomplish this.