Richards Bay FC secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over TS Galaxy at Mbombela Stadium, collecting maximum points away from home in a tightly contested encounter.
The hosts made a couple of changes, introducing goalkeeper Sipho Maseti and Motaung into the starting lineup, while Richards Bay stuck with a largely unchanged side.
Richards Bay showed early intent, with Sanele Barns proving to be a constant threat. In the 11th minute, Barns found himself unmarked in the box but sent his free header wide. Just minutes later, he tried his luck from distance, but Maseti was equal to the effort, pulling off a solid save.
The breakthrough finally came just before halftime. In the 43rd minute, Barns made no mistake, finding the back of the net to give Richards Bay a deserved lead heading into the break.
TS Galaxy pushed for an equaliser in the second half but were wasteful in front of goal. Letsoalo missed a golden opportunity in the 58th minute with an open net at his mercy, while Lesteonyo also failed to convert in the 77th minute.
Richards Bay looked to manage the game in the closing stages, making a double substitution in the 84th minute as Bomelo and Mthethwa came on to add fresh legs. A minute later, TS Galaxy threatened again, but goalkeeper Otieno came up with a crucial save to preserve the lead.
In stoppage time, Moses Mthembu attempted an audacious outside-boot effort, but Maseti denied him.
Zuke was then introduced in the 91st minute as Richards Bay focused on seeing out the game.
With the final whistle looming, captain Mcineka produced a vital clearance to ensure his side walked away with all three points.
After the match, Richards Bay coach Gabriel credited his late substitutions for helping the team secure the win.
“We put in Zuke and Mthethwa late just to consolidate the three points,” he said.
“We still have a mathematical chance to get into the top eight.
We’ve still got 15 points to play for.”
The result keeps Richards Bay’s top-eight ambitions alive as they continue their push in the closing stages of the season.
image : Richards Bay