Gomtown Boyz FC’s new head coach Davidson ‘Kiddo’ Tsumela, said his immediate focus will be on strengthening the team’s defensive shape.

Tsumela marked his debut with a 2–1 victory over Alex Black Poison FC in the Alex derby at the Alex Safe Hub on Saturday.

Despite the win, he noted several issues that require urgent attention. “We just have to focus on those little things that we saw today, in terms of our defensive shape. In terms of how we are supposed to defend.”

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He explained that goalkeeper Xolani Manka occasionally pushed both wingers forward during free kicks against them, which left the team exposed.

“Yes, he wants to go on a transition, but no, sometimes you have to defend the post first, before the transition, because if they score, there’s no point in the transition anymore.”

With Gomtown’s next fixture scheduled for November 23, Tsumela said that these minor defensive lapses must be corrected quickly.

During their Saturday match, Gomtown started strong, securing an early lead. As expected, this spurred Alex Black Poison to push for an equaliser.

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Despite their rapid advances, Tsumela said his side kept their composure. “You know, in football, when you are one up, everyone wants to attack you. So, you have to be calm, collective, and defend as a team.”

He used breaks in play, caused by inclement weather, to reinforce his message. “I spoke to the boy: ‘They are going to come to us. Let’s just keep compact and hit them on the transition’.”

Black Poison eventually equalised in the second half, levelling the score at 1–1, but Gomtown soon responded with a second goal that sealed their victory.

Tsumela praised his opponents. He said they did well, noting that Alex Black Poison had beaten Gomtown 1–0 in the last season.

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