Gabriel lauds response as Richards Bay cruise into Carling Knockout quarterfinals

The Natal Rich Boyz produced a strong response, thrashing Chippa United 4–1.

Gabriel says the early goals helped settle the nerves, and even with a 3–1 halftime lead, the focus was on staying positive and keeping up the pressure.

"We agreed upon going into the second half and playing the game on the front foot, so we continued to play the game on the front foot, creating a few more openings there and we could have scored the fourth one earlier on,” Gabriel said. 

“As the game progressed we managed to get the fourth goal in the dying minutes of the game and I think that was the icing on the cake. What a beautiful goal, where all the players on the pitch had the touch on the ball, good circulation of the ball, good rotation of the ball. 

“Exploiting half spaces and Mahala came in as a sub and finished off there. So, it was a good afternoon for the supporters, for the team as a whole, for the players, for the management and we must keep ourselves grounded."

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New signing Knox Mutizwa netted twice, while Ntlonelo Bomelo and Lundi Mahala also found the target. 

Despite the emphatic win, Gabriel has called for calm, warning his players against getting carried away.

"We have to remain humble because when we score four goals in the game and then with youngsters on the field, they can automatically feel that they've arrived and they think that they've achieved it all,” the coach added.

“So, we have to speak to them, keep them grounded, more psychological sessions like what we do with them because it's a bunch of youngsters here. We've got Nzama [Siyabonga] here, we've got Ngema [Wandile] here, we've got Zikhali [Lindokuhle] here, these are all youngsters coming from our DDC structures. 

“So, it's a matter of us continuing to be on their cases. Reminding them that the work is eventually done on the pitch, it's a training pitch where they continue to work hard, continue to grind out and the results eventually take care of itself."