Durban City's Mashego targets strong response in Richards Bay rematch

Durban City defender Terrence Mashego believes their breakthrough victory before the international break has restored belief at just the right time as the Cityzens prepare for a difficult Betway Premiership trip to the uMhlathuze Sports Complex to face Richards Bay on Saturday.

It’s a fixture that already carries emotional weight; the two sides met last month already in the Carling Knockout Cup, where the Natal Rich Boyz eliminated City — a result that stung a group still finding its feet in the top flight.

Since then, City have endured a mixed run, losing three matches on the bounce across all competitions before finally snapping the slide with a crucial home win over Marumo Gallants. 

For Mashego, that result was about more than just three points — it was a reset.

“Yeah that was an important win, especially after going through a rough phase, you could see that the heads were beginning to drop so we needed that win to lift the spirit in camp and also to remind ourselves of who we are and the quality we have. So, going into the week the momentum is back.”

He remembers the cup defeat in Richards Bay clearly. It was a game affected by heavy conditions — heat, tempo, and the ebb and flow of a knockout tie that City initially controlled after scoring early, only to let it slip late.

“The Richards Bay match was a difficult one because the conditions were extreme even though we got an early goal but it was difficult more especially with conceding late.”

Mashego says the biggest lesson from that day was not tactical, but mental. 

City created opportunities but failed to kill the game off and struggled with decision-making in key phases. This time, he believes they will arrive better prepared.

“The lesson was simple on the day, we need to be more clinical and we need to manage the game better, this time around the approach is more mature.”

“We’ve studied what we did wrong and we will step into this match with a clear identity and stronger mentality. We’re not going there to just compete but we’re going there to take control and change the story.”

That confidence, Mashego says, is rooted in their response after the losing streak. 

The energy in training has improved, the rhythm has returned and the players have reconnected with the style Gavin Hunt has been moulding since their promotion.

Saturday’s clash comes at a crucial point in the season; Richards Bay are fighting for stability, while City are pushing to cement themselves in the league. 

Both sides also carry the memory of that cup clash — but City, Mashego insists, are not dwelling on the past.

“What happened in the knockout is gone,” he said earlier in the week. “Now it’s about showing who we are.”

City travel north with restored belief, valuable lessons and a mission to rewrite the script in uMhlathuze.