Richards Bay retained their DStv Premiership status after thrashing Baroka 4-0 in their final play-off clash at the King Goodwill Zwelithini Stadium in Durban.

In a three-club mini-league with Pretoria University and Baroka, two lower-tier teams, the host team needed one point to win, but they easily earned three.

Baroka lost an early opportunity to take the lead before giving up twice in the second half. Baroka needed to win by at least two goals to move up to the top of the league.

The scorers were Somila Ntsundwana and Sanele Barns, who was playing in his last game before joining Stellenbosch, a Premiership team.

On minute sixty-two, Ntsundwana scored the game’s first goal, sprinting nearly half the pitch and putting the ball past goalie Katlego Molefe. Five minutes remaining in the clock, Lwandile Mabuya finished the scoring.

Second-division clubs earn R500,000 each month and are limited to one cup, whereas premiership clubs receive a R2.5 million monthly stipend and participate in three knockout events.

Photo by Gerhard Duraan/BackpagePix