Rich Boyz on brink of safety with KZN derby against Arrows looming

Richards Bay are just one point away from securing their Betway Premiership status for next season as they prepare for a crucial KwaZulu-Natal derby against Golden Arrows.

The two teams will meet at the King Zwelithini Stadium on Saturday in a 3pm kick off. 

The Natal Rich Boyz sit on 29 points — six ahead of 15th-placed Cape Town City — and can mathematically secure survival with a draw from either of their remaining two matches. They host Arrows next before concluding their campaign away to SuperSport United.

The expulsion of Royal AM from the league has confirmed their automatic relegation, meaning the battle now is to avoid finishing 15th and being dragged into the PSL promotion/relegation play-offs.

City remain the most vulnerable, having not registered a win in their last 14 matches. 

Their 23-point tally leaves them needing back-to-back victories against Polokwane City and Stellenbosch — both away from home — to stand any chance of escaping the play-off position.

Complicating matters further, City trail both SuperSport United and Golden Arrows by three points, with both those teams still having two games in hand.

Richards Bay and Magesi FC, each on 29 points, are in a stronger position. A single point for either side would make it  impossible for City to overtake them, regardless of other results. That makes the KZN derby even more significant.

Abafana Besthende, currently 14th, are also looking to distance themselves from the drop zone. A defeat against Richards Bay could see them pulled into the scrap, especially if results elsewhere don’t go their way.

It hasn’t been the smoothest of returns to Lamontville for head coach Manqoba Mngqithi with results hard to come by in recent weeks. A fixture against a local rival might just be the fire they require to ensure their safety with two games of the season to go. 

Despite a season of mixed results, Richards Bay have delivered key performances when needed most. A single draw across their final two fixtures will confirm their top-flight status for a third consecutive season.

With Royal AM out of the picture, and City facing an uphill battle, Richards Bay’s fate lies firmly in their own hands.

Meanwhile, in the Motsepe Foundation Championship, Durban City FC are on the verge of sealing promotion to the Betway Premiership.

The Farook Kadodia-owned outfit edged Black Leopards on Sunday at Chatsworth Stadium to move up to 55 points — three ahead of second-placed Orbit College. They now need just a draw in their final game against Cape Town Spurs to confirm a historic return to the top flight and potentially become the province’s newest Premiership representative.

KwaZulu-Natal clubs could be celebrating at both ends of the table — one surviving, another rising.