Richards Bay coach Kaitano Tembo has described their win over Cape Town Spurs in the DStv Premiership as “massive”, as they collected all points in a six-pointer of note at King Zwelithini Stadium on Sunday.
Benedict Vilakazi’s son, Thato Mohlamme scored a blinding goal for Bay in the 72nd minute to see them win at home for the first time in the league this season.
It was also the club’s first DStv Premiership win at home since beating Moroka Swallows on 31 December last year.
But the win saw Bay remain second from bottom on the table, six points ahead of Spurs and two points close to 14th-placed Royal AM, having accumulated nine from 12 matches.
“It was huge,” said Tembo, who has been under immense pressure at the club.
“It gives us a little bit of confidence because, when you don’t win at home, you start not believing in yourself because in this league if you don’t collect points at home it is always difficult to win away from home. This at least gives us confidence that we can win matches here, which is very good for us.”
Coach Vusumuzi Vilakazi was in the stands as they beat Spurs and the club has since appointed him as the senior coach, having left Chippa United as Technical Director on Friday.
Kanu, as he is known in football, is coming back to KwaZulu-Natal after spending close to 20 years with Golden Arrows, who he left early in September as the co-coach with Mabhuti Khenyeza.
Crucially, beating Spurs was important for the Bay to give themselves a cushion from Sean Connor’s side, who have just won one game this season, which came against Orlando Pirates in what was the Belfast-born’s first game in charge.
“It was very important, so that we keep them down there and we start chasing the guys who are above us,” said Tembo, who has taken Bay also to the Carling Knockout Cup semi-finals.
“We have to also put pressure on top so that we can start moving away from where we are. At least now we have maintained that six points gap and that gives us a little bit of room as well in terms of results.”
After the FIFA break, Bay will visit Pirates at Orlando Stadium on 25 November, who they beat in the penalty shootout in the Carling Cup Cup quarter-final last weekend.
