Richards Bay have retained their DStv Premiership status after crushing Baroka FC 4-0 in the final PSL Promotion Playoff match at the King Zwelithini Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.
The Natal Rich Boyz claimed an emphatic win thanks to a brace of fine goals from Somila Ntsundwana, a deflected strike by Sanele Barns, and a ‘coup de grâce’ from Lwandile Mabuya in the dying minutes.
Bay finished 15th (second from bottom) on the DStv Premiership in 2023-24 and found themselves in a three-way scrap against the University of Pretoria and Baroka in the Playoffs, but they were able to go unbeaten through the four matches and recorded eight points to finish top of the log and ensure that they will play top-flight football again next season.
𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝!
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) June 19, 2024
Richards Bay will be playing in the 2024/2025 #DStvPrem following a 4-0 win against Baroka which sees them finish top of the Promotion Playoff table ✅ pic.twitter.com/K63DiS5hlu
Richards Bay created early chances for Sanele Barns and Yanela Mbuthuma inside the opening 10 minutes, the first of which was dragged wide, while the second drew a sharp save from Baroka goalkeeper Katlego Molefe.
On 25 minutes the visitors should have claimed the lead, with Khomotjo Lekoloane doing great work down the left before providing a cross which saw Siyabonga Mtombeni fluff a chance, before Kabelo Kgosietsile failed to hit the target from the resulting loose ball.
The hosts went ahead in the 37th minute, with Mbuthuma setting up Somila Ntsundwana, who knocked the ball up in the air before scoring with an acrobatic volley from a few metres out.
And six minutes later Bay’s lead was doubled in fortuitous circumstances, as Barns’s shot direct from a free kick took a deflection off the defensive wall and found the back of the net – with Molefe left helpless by the change of trajectory.
The start of the second half saw both teams make a change, with Thabani Gumede replacing Thato Mohamme for Bay, while Baroka swopped out Mtombeni for Dan Ndhlovu.
The Natal Rich Boyz made it 3-0 shortly after the hour mark, with Ntsundwana showing great speed and strength to hold off a defender before firing a left-footed shot beyond Molefe to effectively end the game as a contest.
And they added a fourth goal late on, with Lwandile Mabuya running onto a loose ball in the box, after Molefe had made a fine save to keep out a low shot from Khuda Muyaba, and firing home in the 85th minute to round out a 4-0 triumph.
Bay will therefore play in the DStv Premiership for a third successive season, while Baroka will remain in the Motsepe Foundation Championship – also for a third successive season.
Richards Bay (2) 4 (Ntsundwana 37’ 62’, Barns 43’, Mabuya 85’)
Baroka FC 0
BAY: Magoola, Mabuya, Mthethwa, Mcineka (Dube 57’), Mabua, Mthembu, Malepe, Mohamme (Gumede 46’), Barns (Figuareido 68’), Ntsundwana (Makhubela 68’), Mbuthuma (Muyaba 68’)
BAROKA: Molefe, Madingwane, Mashiloane, Mathiane, Gebhardt, Sikhosana, Malivha (Nyundu 74’), Lekoloane, Sithole, Kgosietsile (Mogale 68’), Mtombeni (Ndhlovu 46’)