RICHARDS BAY – Richards Bay gave their fans the perfect Valentine's Day gift as they sent Bloemfontein Young Tigers crashing to a 5-0 defeat in a Nedbank Cup last 32 round fixture played at the Umlathuze Sports Complex, Richards Bay, on Wednesday afternoon.
Two goals within three minutes seemed to dent the pride of the Free State when central midfielder Kulegani Madondo put the hosts ahead in the 23 minute before striker Michael Gumede doubled the home team lead three minutes later.
By the time that defender Lebogang Sentsho finished off Tigers from a pass from Khayelihle Shozi in the 71st minute to book his team's passage to the last 16 round of the lucrative cup competition, the match was all but over as a contest.
Tigers had no option but to throw caution to the wind as they pushed players forward in search of getting on to the scoreboard but could not breach the KwaZulu Natal team's defence.
Gumede scored his second of the match in the 85th minute from the penalty spot before striker Thabiso Nkoana rubbed further salt into the wounds of Tigers when he found the back of the goal-net for the Bay in the second minute of referee's stoppage time in the second half.
The win would have pleased the loyal home team fans who would have felt cheated out of top-flight football after Richards Bay-based Thanda Royal Zulu won the National First Division last season only to sell their club franchise immediately to Amazulu, who relocated the home base to Durban.
The home team have found the going tough in their first season in the National First Division as they hang on to the 12th spot out of 16 teams in the league.
Tigers meanwhile are sitting just off the pace in the ABC Motsepe League (Free State) as they push for a chance of promotion to join Bay in the National First Division next season.