Gabriel praises Richards Bay character after Stellenbosch victory

A decisive strike in the 43rd minute from Siyabonga Nzama gave the Natal Rich Boyz three points, lifting them to 10th place on the Betway Premiership standings.

Gabriel says their initial plan was to settle for a point on the road, but the players showed great resilience in a venue where very few teams walk away with maximum points.

"We wanted to play the game more territorially, because the pitch conditions made it difficult to participate in a possession battle.

"The group grinded out a result today and showed mental toughness to hold onto the lead throughout the match."

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The win capped off a solid week for Richards Bay, who came into the clash looking to build on back-to-back draws: a 1-1 result against TS Galaxy in midweek and a goalless stalemate with Siwelele FC over the weekend.

This result means Gabriel’s side is now unbeaten in three matches, a much-needed boost after a slow start to the campaign. Gabriel says the team can take plenty of confidence from this run of results.

Reflecting on his tactical approach, Gabriel highlighted that the Stellenbosch front line, with the likes of Ashley Cupido, Devin Titus, and Langelihle Phili, posed significant pace and movement.

He says Richards Bay’s defensive shape was designed to close down spaces and cut off attacking channels to limit the Maroons’ threat.

Looking ahead, Gabriel insists their immediate focus is on Wednesday night’s home clash against Magesi FC, before shifting attention to defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns next weekend.