Richards Bay dig deep in Derby as Gabriel eyes bright future

In their penultimate match of the season at the King Zwelithini Stadium, the Natal Rich Boys were held to a goalless draw by Abafana Bes’Thende.

Gabriel admits Arrows looked more desperate for the points, forcing his side to dig deep.

"I think we had to dig in for the point; we knew we would be mathematically safe with just one point, so we got what we came for," explained Gabriel. 

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With the season approaching its conclusion, Gabriel gave youth a chance, fielding a very young squad that included Wandile Ngema, Ntlonelo Bomelo, Sbangani Zulu, and Fezile Gcaba, while Sbani Mntungwa made his PSL debut.

Gabriel says he was impressed by how well the youngsters followed instructions and handled the occasion.

"We plugged in a multitude of youngsters in this game, and I'm happy to say that they performed really well. They showed that they are capable of playing in this league, and handling the pressure of a derby," said the satisfied coach. 

In November 2024, Brandon Truter parted ways with Richards Bay FC after taking over from Vusumuzi Vilakazi earlier in the season, with ambitions of a top-four finish.

When results failed to materialize, assistant coach Ronnie Gabriel stepped in and was later joined by Papi Zothwane in January 2025.

Gabriel has since guided the club to safety, securing their status in top-flight football for another season. He credits the achievement to the unity of his technical team.

Since their promotion to the top flight, Richards Bay have been using the King Zwelithini Stadium while their original home ground undergoes upgrades to meet Premier Soccer League standards.

Gabriel says a return to their true home ground, and their core fan base, would provide a major boost to team performance.

Richards Bay now head to the Peter Mokaba Stadium for their final game of the 2024/25 season against SuperSport United.

Coach Gabriel says the focus is already shifting to preparations for next season, with an eye on improvement and consistency.