Kaizer Chiefs coach Hunt unhappy with fringe players' contributions

Kaizer Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt was frustrated by his team's inability to take their chances in Sunday's 2-1 defeat to Richards Bay at the FNB Stadium in a Nedbank Cup last 32 encounter, and also felt that several players failed to make the most of a rare starting opportunity.

Some poor defending proved costly for Amakhosi as first division outfit Richards Bay netted first through Thabani Dube's header from a Khanyisa Mayo corner in the 29th minute.

The Glamour Boys were reduced to 10 men when Siphosakhe Ntiya-Ntiya received a second yellow card in the 64th minute before Leonardo Castro equalised in the 76th minute, only for some more poor defending from Chiefs to allow Siyabonga Vilane to net a 91st-minute winner.

The likes of Castro, Samir Nurkovic and Lebogang Manyama all squandered goal-scoring chances.

"I warned them yesterday, and the whole week since the draw," Hunt told SuperSport TV.

"Obviously we had numerous chances in the first half, and just didn't make the final ball count.

"Even when we went to 10 men we still got numerous chances. But you've got to do better."

Hunt gave rare starts to the likes of Siphelele Ntshangase, Ntiya-Ntiya and Kgotso Moleko, but Ntiya-Ntiya was sent off midway through the second half while Ntshangase, along with Darrel Matsheke and Bernard Parker, were substituted at the interval.

"A few people you give a chance here and there and obviously proves me right that they've....you know...and then made the changes but then even with the one or two we bring on, it's got to be better. We've got to work a bit harder, make situations better. We've got to work a little bit more,"  the former Bidvest Wits and SuperSport United coach continued.

"We just want the ball to feet all the time. And then we turned the ball over at the right-back position, kicked it straight to the [opposition] they turned it over went to the other side and then then you think why's he there when he shouldn't be there, same player for both goals.

"I know what's in front of us, I know what's in front of me, so we have got to be better.

"Its been like that from the start, we have got to have more legs in the team, more mobility, all these type of things. We've got to get through, we've got to grind away and turn the corner and go again."

Chiefs will now turn their attention back to the Caf Champions League - they have a tough match away at Moroccan champions Wydad Casablanca on Saturday night.

In the domestic league, Amakhosi are eighth on the standings, 15 points behind league leaders Mamelodi Sundowns. Chiefs’ next league game is against AmaZulu on February 17 in Johannesburg.