Richards Bay co-coach Ronnie Gabriel says Mamelodi Sundowns were there for the taking after his side missed numerous chances in a goalless draw on Sunday.
Bay created several opportunities and could have beaten Sundowns for the first time in their history. Sanele Barns fired straight at Ronwen Williams, while Lundi Mahala—after Barns had rounded Williams—saw his effort blocked by Keanu Cupido.
However, as serial winners, Sundowns nearly snatched victory at the end when all-time PSL top scorer Peter Shalulile was allowed to turn, but he fired wide.
On the balance of play, Bay were compact and disciplined, with Barns and Thulani Gumede causing problems for their illustrious opponents, as the match ended goalless at Umhlathuze Sports Complex.
“As much as Sundowns are the best team in Africa, I’m sure you saw today that they were there for the taking,” said Gabriel.
“We could have taken all three points. It was a good performance, and we are happy so far with the progress of the group.”
Bay have made life difficult for visiting teams, suffering just one home defeat—against Orbit College FC.
Kaizer Chiefs have been beaten there, while Orlando Pirates—who are battling Sundowns for the league title—also dropped points in a 2–2 draw.
The Natal Rich Boys, currently 10th on the table with 31 points from 26 matches, are unbeaten in their last four games and picking up points at a crucial stage of the season, with four fixtures remaining.
“If you look at how we’ve played in other matches, we’ve also had good performances without getting the results,” Gabriel added.
“In terms of performance, especially at home, we are creating numerous goal-scoring chances and dominating teams.
“The concern has been our away form—we felt we could have taken more points on the road. But last week we managed to get three points away against TS Galaxy.
“The form is improving, and the group is growing in leaps and bounds.
“You must remember that the league is a marathon, not a sprint. We believe we are peaking at the right time, towards the end of the season.
“To be unbeaten in four games at this stage of the PSL season is rare. With another four games to go, I believe we will remain solid, structured, organised, and a difficult team to beat until the end.”
