WITH a 0-0 half-time scoreline and peppering the opposition goal for 20 minutes of the second stanza, Richards Bay FC caught three breakaway sucker punches to suffer a heavy loss at home to log leaders Highlands Park on Saturday.
With head coach Jean-Francois Losciuto at last cleared to lead the technical team, and classy left-side player Cheslyn Jampies making his debut, the NRB lads started brightly and easily matched their much vaunted adversaries, creating the best chances in the first 45 minutes.
Best shot of the half came from Michael Roelf, whose cracking left-footed drive would have smashed into the top corner had it not been for the fingertips of the athletic Marlon Heugh in the visitors’goals.
There was another close call in the closing minute of the half, when Jampies’ wicked cross was sliced clear in a panicking Highlands’ goalmouth.
Photo: Dave Savides
The Bay side came out after the break in superb form but had nothing to show after bombarding the opposition defence.
Stanley Muishond was put through, only to shoot wide after just three minutes, then Roelf drilled the ball into the side netting and soon after was brought down from behind on the edge of the box as he teed up for what looked a likely goal.
Amazingly, the referee only produced a yellow card – a decision that could have changed the course of the game.
Photo: Dave Savides
From the free kick, two rebounds were belted into defenders in what looked like pinball machine action.
A corner eventually materialised, with Sandile Mthethwa leaping high but failing to direct his header on target.
Superb inter-passing then saw Sphelele Mkhulise feed the ball to an unmarked Muishond, who failed to steer it home.
Photo: Dave Savides
As luck would have it after all the one-way traffic, a minute later the ball was hoofed upfield and against the run of play, Highlands Park were on the scoreboard (0-1).
Anxious to push forward and get the rewards they deserved, the Bay boys threw everything into the attack and as so often happens, left themselves open to counters.
Photo: Dave Savides
Highlands Park were in no mood to spurn their chances and twice more NRB skipper Xolani Ngcobo found himself picking the ball out of his own net.
The visitors will know the scoreline does not reflect how hard they struggled to keep a clean sheet, but the bottom line is they stay top of the NFD log and Richards Bay are still languishing at the wrong end.
Photo: Dave Savides
How a team can play so well and not have the points to show for it, is one of the mysteries of the current season.
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