Though disappointed with his team’s performance, especially in the first half, Highbury coach Kabelo Sibiya said he was happy to have taken a point from their game against Leruma United.
The Gqeberha-based side extended their unbeaten home run to four matches, coming back from a goal down to rescue a 1-1 draw against struggling Leruma in the Motsepe Foundation Championship at the Gelvandale Stadium on Tuesday.
Though unbeaten, Highbury were hoping to win their fourth consecutive home match, but were foiled on a frustrating afternoon.
Leruma’s opening goal came through Naeem Amooje in the dying minutes of the first half.
After numerous efforts to level the score, Dante Brown scored the equaliser for Highbury late in the second half.
The Yellow Nation are eighth on the log with 27 points from 21 games.
Having set their sights on a top-three finish, Highbury will be looking to get maximum points against Pretoria Callies at home on Friday.
The match will take place at the Gelvandale Stadium (3.30pm).
“I said to the players this is a dangerous game because everyone thought that Leruma were an easy match because they are at the bottom of the log,” Sibiya said.
“With the situation they face, fighting for survival makes you stronger as you want to fight more.
“I believe we could have given a much better fight than what we gave in the first half.
“After the first half, I had to go back to the changing room and push the guys, saying that if you want to win a football match you need to play better than this with more aggression.
“I believe the guys responded well in the second half, but we can’t play like that at home.
“We have never played like that, honestly, we were very slow in the first half.
“We are happy that we ended up with a draw because it was getting late and we were starting to think about losing at home against Leruma.”
Sibiya said positives he could take from the encounter were the two substitutes that came on in the second half.
“I am very happy with the youngsters that came on, Thabang Ramolomo, the right full-back who replaced Zithulele Mhlontlo.
“He did very well, he put in a couple of crosses and even the goal scorer Dante Brown, I am very happy with how they applied themselves.”
The Herald
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