A well-drilled and coached Richards Bay have gone top of the DStv Premiership after a 1-0 victory over Royal AM at Chatsworth Stadium on Tuesday night.
A proverbial six-pointer, the former AmaZulu star provided the game’s only goal, blasting at his near post in the 27th minute.
The win saw Bay replace Royal AM, who had gone top after beating Sekhukhune United 2-1 in their previous match.
While Bay had better chances to win the game, it was a frustrating night for Dan Malesela’s side, as Mfundo Thikazi, who scored the brace against Sekhukhune, was unlucky to see his powerful agonizingly go wide after he beat everyone in the box later in the match.
Before the game, there was interesting news on the bench. Royal AM chairman Andile Mpisane was one of the subs for Malesela’s side.
Mpisane previously played for Royal Eagles, the club previously owned by his mother Shawn Mkhize and his ex-husband Sbu Mpisane, in the 2018-19 season in the Motsepe Foundation Championship.
Last season Mpisane made a cameo run when Royal AM beat SuperSport United 2-0 away in February.
However, Royal didn’t have any firepower up top, as Motebang Sera was never given space to play.
As much as Sera has scored this season, he was tightly marked by Bay’s two central defenders of Ntsikelelo Nyauza and Simphiwe Mcineka.
With nothing coming from the Royal AM, Bay stunned the home side.
Former AmaZulu attacker Memela opened his scoring account for the Natal Rich Boyz, taking advantage after goalkeeper Patrick Nyame spilt a harmless free kick and fired it in the empty net.
Bay could have added a second in the 36th minute. Royal AM’s defence was caught flat, but Abel Mabaso missed an open goal net after a brilliant searching ball by Somalia Ntsundwana.
Bay, with the way they are going about their business, many teams are set to suffer this season under co-coaches Vasili Manousakis and Simo Dladla.
