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A first-half own goal by Richard Bay's Thabiso Kutumela ensured that Chippa walked away with a 1-0 win in their Betway Premiership encounter at Buffalo City Stadium on Saturday evening.
The win is the first three-pointer of the season for the Eastern Cape franchise and the first win under the Kwanele Kopo regime as sole head coach.
After the disappointment of Wednesday at Orlando Stadium where the Chilli Boys went down 2-1 to Orlando Pirates in their league opener, Kopo made it clear in the build-up to the Richards Bay game that they would come out guns blazing.
But he was sweating over the availability of veteran midfielder Andile Jali after his hamstring injury in the Pirates game. But, after numerous assessments, Jali was given the green light.
With a busy schedule of playing three matches in seven days, Kopo also brought the fresh legs of Azola Ntsabo, and Aviwe Moqokozo in place of Craig Martin and Malebogo Modise who featured in the Pirates game.
Chippa almost broke the deadlock through Ntsabo but his long-range shot hit the crossbar in the first quarter.
On a wet Buffalo City pitch, Chippa midfield operated effectively and strung some key passes together which unlocked the Richards Bay defence. Cameroonian striker Bienvenu Eva Nga almost scored the opener but his shot was thwarted inside the Richards Bay box.
It would be Eva Nga who would force the opener with just five minutes remaining until the break. The frontman initiated some ping pong in the Bay defence from a cross inside the box and the ball eventually found its way into the net off Kutumela.
With seconds before halftime, Tlakusani Mthethwa almost equalised for Richards Bay but his shot was parried over the bar by Chippa shot-stopper Stanley Nwabali.
Richards Bay returned rejuvenated from the dressing room in the second half's early stages.
Sloppy handling from Nwabali from a long ball almost gifted the Natal Rich Boys an easy goal but Lwandile Mabuya could not capitalise and hit his power shot wide of the left upright.
Richards Bay continued piling the pressure offensively as they dominated the majority of possession until the hour mark but could not get past Nigeria’s number one Nwabali.
Chippa made a tactical change and introduced Ayabulela Konqobe for a tired-looking Jali in the midfield to suppress Richards Bay's easy penetration in attack.
The change worked as Chippa regained possession and territorial advantage. They created several chances but lacked finishing in the final third.
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