Richards Bay co-coach Ronnie Gabriel says his side wants to finish on a high as they prepare for their final home game of the season against Sekhukhune United on Saturday.
Although a top-eight finish is not yet guaranteed, Richards Bay have enjoyed an impressive home campaign, suffering just one defeat at the Umhlathuze Sports Complex this season.
The Natal Rich Boyz currently sit 11th in the Betway Premiership standings with 33 points from 28 matches.
A victory against Sekhukhune, coupled with favourable results elsewhere, could lift the KwaZulu-Natal outfit to ninth place in the standings.
That would leave them firmly in contention for a top-eight finish heading into the final game of the season — an achievement they secured on the last day of the previous campaign.
Richards Bay will conclude their season against bottom-placed Magesi FC at Seshego Stadium on 23 May.
With Sekhukhune providing the final home challenge of the campaign, Gabriel has urged his players to deliver a strong performance as a gesture of appreciation to the club’s supporters.
“This being the last home game of the season, we are looking forward to achieving a positive result at home,” Gabriel told the club’s website.
“We are unbeaten in our last six games, and we intend to maintain that record until the end of the season. This is an ideal opportunity for us to repay the supporters for all the faith they have shown in the team throughout the campaign.”
The reverse fixture between the two sides ended in a 1-1 draw, with injured striker Gabadinho Mhango cancelling out an earlier effort involving Tsepo Mabua being the own goal for the visitors then.
“The team is in good spirits,” Gabriel added.
“The mood in camp is positive, we prepared well this week, and we are looking forward to an exciting encounter against a strong Sekhukhune side.
“As I said, this is our home ground, and it presents an opportunity to collect all three points, which is exactly what we are aiming to do on Saturday. We are also looking forward to strong support from our fans.
“Come in numbers, come and support us, come and help push the boys over the line. We truly appreciate the support we have received at home throughout the season.”
