Orlando Pirates coach Rhulani Mokwena believes his players try to test his ability to fix problems after going down to 10 men for a second game in a row.

The Sea Robbers were held to a goalless draw by Maritzburg United at the Orlando Stadium on Tuesday evening, in a game where captain Happy Jele received his marching orders for a second bookable offence.

The red card meant that Mokwena had to adjust his tactics and gameplan, just as he was forced to do during last Saturday’s Soweto derby.

Speaking to SuperSport TV after the game, Mokwena admitted that his players gave him a difficult test but he was also disappointed not to pick up the three points.

‘We like to make it difficult, my middle name is Mlungisi [the one who fixes], so I think sometimes the players try and test how much I can fix certain things, so it’s a test to see how difficult they can make things for me, but we keep going and we try to fix.

‘First chance in the first half with Kabelo Dlamini one on one with the goalkeeper and of course [Richard] Ofori makes a very good save and well deserved Man of the Match [award] because he made a lot of top saves to keep them in the game,’ he continued.

‘We created a lot of chances and that chance of [Justin] Shonga that hit the crossbar, I still have to analyse and check, but from where I was sitting, maybe not the whole circumference [of the ball] crossed the line but from where I’m sitting it looks like it’s over the goalline but I stand to be corrected, I don’t know.’

Pirates are next in action when they take on Kaizer Chiefs at the FNB Stadium on Saturday afternoon.