Royal coach Maduka stresses importance of winning home games

Royal AM coach John Maduka has stressed the importance of avoiding dropping points in their backyard, Harry Gwala Stadium, after beating Richards Bay 3-2 there on Sunday.

The win over provincial and relegation rivals Bay helped Royal to ease their own relegation troubles, while it piled more pressure on the Natal Rich Boys, who remain unmoved from position 15 on the DStv Premiership table.

Mxolisi Macuphu's brace and a goal from Thabo Matlaba, who also scored an own goal, earned the victory for Thwihli Thwahla. Bay's other goal was scored by Sanele Barns.

Royal's next game is against Moroka Swallows at home on December 23 and Maduka has emphasised that they must not drop points at Harry Gwala Stadium. All in all, Royal have won three of the six league games at home with two defeats and a draw.

"The game against Swallows will be a different ball game. We know that all the games are difficult but because it will be our home game, we must make sure that we win. Playing away from home is the most difficult thing in this league, hence I always preach to the players that we mustn't lose home games,'' Maduka insisted.

Maduka felt they lost focus after netting three goals in the first half against Bay, reserving a special praise for his brace hero Macuphu. Even so, Maduka wants Macuphu to stay consistent. Macuphu, 34, had scored only once in the league before Sunday this season.

"We started the game very well, scoring those three goals. I don't know why, but after scoring those three goals we started to drop deeper and allowed them to come at us,'' Maduka said.

"He [Macuphu] is  a very hardworking player, talented as well but the most important thing is for him to stay consistent and be in a right frame of mind.''