Raiders FC secured their first win of the Hollywoodbets Men’s Regional League against Loyo Stars at the Alex Safe Hub on Saturday.

One of the team’s top goalscorers, Zandile Mthethwa, put Raiders ahead after opening the scoring in the first half, and completed his brace in the second half with a long-range shot that left Loyo Stars goalkeeper Anam Mbaishe stunned.

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Loyo Stars answered with a shot of their own, a free kick that Peter Nkosi put past Raiders goalkeeper Gavin Mandlati, but they could not find a second goal to undo Raiders’ lead.

Raiders’ 2-1 victory marked an impressive statement of intent in the regional league, coming from a newly promoted team that is dedicated to climbing up the log.

The win boosted their confidence, especially after their disappointing debut on September 24, losing 0-3 against the league’s tough contender, Gomtown Boyz FC, which finished second on the log last season.

Reeling from that loss, Raiders coach Thuso Mthethwa referred to it as a bad day in the office, noting that stage fright might have crept in to affect his side’s performance.

However, on Saturday, Thuso said his boys finally imposed themselves the way they should against their opponents.

“We told the guys, previous mistakes are over and done. We said we should go there and impose ourselves.”

He said the players were advised to master their confidence on the field, keep the ball, move it and use what they have. That is exactly what they did, according to coach Thuso.

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“They really played well. They kept the shape. They kept it compact. We understand that this is one of the best teams in the yellow stream,” he said.

“So, we also wanted to be seen and counted among the big boys here,” he added.

Meanwhile, coach Vukile ‘Vido’ Ngcongo, whose team, Loyo Stars, had a good opening game against The Boys FC on September 24, clinching a 2-1 win, admitted that it is every coach’s dream to start the season on a good note.

“It is every coach’s dream to start the season in a good way. In football, I think if you take points early, you have a better chance of winning the league,” he said.

Ngcongo said that is what they want to do this season. Having finished fourth on the log in the previous season, their ambition to climb and keep up is as fervent as ever.

However, some hurdles, including player injuries and a lack of strikers, threaten to derail that ambition early. Ngcongo admitted this, noting that they have many good ball players who sometimes do not trust themselves enough to take shots from afar.

“That is why I say we need strikers. That is where we need to fix the team,” he said.

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