sportskeeda
Ronnie Gabriel, co-coach of Richards Bay, expressed immense relief after securing a crucial victory against Golden Arrows in the Betway Premiership match at Mpumalanga Stadium on Saturday.
This win allowed them to escape the bottom of the standings, although Gabriel emphasized that their struggles are far from over.
A long pass from Bay’s goalkeeper, Salim Magoola, caught the Arrows defense by surprise. Yanela Mbuthuma flicked the ball on, leaving Arrows goalkeeper Edward Moava out of position. Lindokuhle Zikhali took advantage of the opportunity, skillfully lifting the ball into the empty net for his first PSL goal. The jubilant celebrations from the bench highlighted the significance of this victory for the team.
The Natal Rich Boys climbed to eighth place on the table, now with eight points from 11 matches, just two points clear of bottom-placed Magesi, who have played two fewer games.
“These three points are extremely important for us, but we’re not naive enough to believe we’re fully secure,” remarked co-coach Gabriel after the game.
“We understand that there are many goals we need to achieve. We know we must become a more consistent team and start accumulating results on a regular basis.
“Additionally, we recognize that progress takes time and that setbacks are a natural part of the process that we must accept.
“More importantly, we are focused on playing attractive football. Our aim is to enjoy the game and control the play, trusting that the results will eventually follow.
“Therefore, we aren’t pressuring ourselves to achieve results by any means necessary. We also want to display a style of football that is exciting, offensive, and dynamic.
“I believe we effectively accomplished that today.”
Despite this, Bay squandered numerous opportunities to extend their lead. Mbuthuma missed a clear chance in the 32nd minute, and Thulani Gumede had his shot cleared off the line by Brandon Theron. Gumede also failed to score during a one-on-one opportunity, shooting wide when he had a clear shot at goal.
“It’s frustrating,” Gabriel admitted. “Again, these are young players, and they tend to make simple mistakes that we must accept. We need to coach them and continue to build their confidence. Perhaps in the next match, Gumede will find the back of the net.
“Realistically, we should have scored two or three more goals today. We created plenty of chances as we entered the final third and the box – it was an impressive display of football overall.”
