Komphela not hard on his players after 7-goal rout

Golden Arrows coach Steve Komphela insists he won't be too hard on his players after their 7-1 demolition by Orlando Pirates at Orlando Stadium on Saturday. He feels they played "some good football" at times during the DStv Premiership match.

Tshegofatso Mabasa netted a hat-trick to take his league tally to 10, to match the total by Mamelodi Sundowns' Lucas Ribeiro Costa as the league leading goalscorers.

Relebohile Mofokeng, Kabelo Dlamini, Sandile Mthethwa and Karim Kimvuidi also registered their names on the scoresheet for Pirates. Lungelo Nguse scored a consolation goal for the Durban side.

It had to take a rampant showing by the Sea Robbers to hand Komphela his first defeat since his return to Arrows early last month.

"I've only been with this team for less than a month. I am working with players whom I've worked with before...others we started with together. I can't be too hard on them but fact remains, they know things we work on and when those things don't happen, we are all not happy,'' Komphela said.

"I thought, with utmost humility, Arrows did play some good football. We came out in certain moments... you could see that they were intentional with what they were doing. It is what it is, we will go back and work with players again. Whether you scream or break bottles or whatever, it won't help."

Komphela further reiterated that there's really no need to make a big deal out of this heavy defeat, implying his troops' attitude was okay on the day and he would have had a problem if the attitude wasn't good.

"There are moments where you have to break bottles; when there's an issue of attitude or complacence but when you see people trying [it's hard to be too hard on them] and mistakes are mistakes because these are genuine mistakes. Your job as a coach is to assist players and try to lead,'' the Arrows mentor stated.

Arrows next game is against provincial foes Royal AM in the league at Mpumalanga Stadium in Hammarsdale  on April 20.