Gabriel praises young Richards Bay side as Top 8 dream hangs in the balance

Richards Bay head coach Ronnie Gabriel has credited the growth and maturity of his youthful squad for propelling the club to the brink of MTN8 qualification, following a spirited 2–0 victory over SuperSport United at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Sunday.

The win — sealed by second-half goals from Yanela Mbuthuma and Thulani Gumede — elevated the Natal Rich Boyz into eighth place on the Betway Premiership table heading into the final round of fixtures.

However, their place in next season’s MTN8 is not yet guaranteed.

Richards Bay currently sit on 33 points with a goal difference of -7, and their fate now hinges on Golden Arrows’ final result. Should Abafana Bes’thende win their last match by a margin of more than six goals, they would overtake Gabriel’s side and snatch the last MTN8 spot.

Despite the uncertainty, Sunday’s result capped off a campaign that, for much of the season, saw Richards Bay embroiled in a relegation battle.

“We started the season with a lot of youngsters and ended the season with a lot of youngsters — many from the (DStv Diski Challenge),” said Gabriel. “We knew that, over time, their adaptation and confidence would grow as they got used to the level of competition.”

Following the departure of Brandon Truter earlier in the season, the club appointed Gabriel on an interim basis and bolstered the technical team with assistants Papi Zothwane and Siboniso Gumede. Under their stewardship, the young Richards Bay side gradually found its rhythm.

“(Saturday) was a polished performance,” Gabriel added. “We’re very pleased with the way the players embraced the freedom of the park and enjoyed themselves.”

Gabriel also revealed that the team’s focus against SuperSport wasn’t on league position, but rather on building cohesion and consistency.

“Realistically, we went into this game not thinking about the top eight or where this result might take us,” he said. “We’re at a different stage of our journey — we wanted a well-oiled performance. If it pushed us further up the table, then that’s a bonus — and we’re happy with that.”

From staving off relegation to pushing for a top-eight finish, Richards Bay have shown resilience and potential, with their youthful core leading the charge.

Now, the spotlight shifts to Golden Arrows. Their final result will determine whether Gabriel and his charges cap off their revival with a place in next season’s MTN8 competition.