Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro says their defeat to Richards Bay was “difficult” to accept following their recent run of form.

The Buccaneers’ five-game winning run in the DStv Premiership came to an end following their 1-0 defeat to the Natal Rich Boys at the Orlando Stadium on Saturday.

The defeat leaves Pirates in third place on the log with 49 points from 28 games, while Richards Bay are placed 15th on the table with 27 points from 28 matches.

Riveiro says he accepted the defeat and is already focused on their upcoming game against Chippa United on Wednesday.

“Difficult to accept the result but we have to do it. It was not in our side today, we tried everything to get the lead first. I think we played a really good first 20 minutes, a little bit maybe too excited in the last third,” Riveiro told SuperSport TV after the game.

“We conceded a totally unnecessary goal from a throw-in and then we tried the whole game to at least equalise. I think the guys did more than enough to run with at least one point tonight but yeah, we have to accept it.

“We’re up again soon, in five, six days, (I hope) things continue the same before we played this fixture, so we keep going.”