Durban - Marumo Gallants Head Coach Dan 'Dance' Malesela has bemoaned his side's self-inflicted defeat after his side was humbled by top-flight new boys Richard Bay on Saturday afternoon.
Sanele Barns and Tshepo Manual scored in the last ten minutes to hand Bahlabane Ba Ntwa a fourth defeat in the last five games, a worrying record for a side currently occupying a relegation zone spot.
Gallants, although not up to their usual dominant standard in terms of possession, created the majority of the chances in the game but a red card to Sibusiso Khumalo in the 74th minute turned the game on its head.
Malesela, who hasn't managed to kick-start his side's second-round form believes that their latest loss, a seventh of the season, was one they invited themselves having been in a position to avoid defeat.
"This is not a game that we deserve to lose and we can't blame anybody because this is self-inflicted," he said after the match
"First of all we missed a lot of chances in the first half and second of all we had a player on the halfway line but we made such a bad tackle that we deserved a red card, that was not necessary."
Update|⏱️FT
— MARUMO GALLANTS FC (@_Marumogallants) January 14, 2023
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Richards Bay F.C 2️⃣#DStvPrem #Marumogallants pic.twitter.com/Nv2ARIGi3X
The 60-year-old mentor felt although his team was playing under pressure, the goals they conceded could've been avoided as their opponents created very little to no chances.
"We were in a safe position but two of my players clash and lose the ball and we have a goal scored against us not that they created anything and the same thing happened with the second goal, we are own enemy and the sooner we start to understand that we're letting people off the hook the better," a disheartened Malesela explained
The Limpopo-based side will travel to Durban for back-to-back fixtures against AmaZulu and Golden Arrows next and will hope they can buck the trend as relegation worries intensify.