Royal AM and TS Galaxy kicked off the new year with a share of the spoils after their DStv Premiership clash at the Chatsworth Stadium on Tuesday evening finished goalless.
Thwihli Thwahla were denied by the frame of the goal twice and they missed a penalty, with the Rockets also striking the woodwork as neither team managed to breach each other’s goal.
Khabo Zondo’s side extended their winless run in the league to three matches, although the point lifted them up to ninth position as Galaxy remained in eighth spot.
Royal AM were looking to get their season back on track after losing five of their last six games, while Sead Ramovic’s team hoped to build on a 2-1 victory over Maritzburg United on Friday which arrested a nine-match winless run.
The visitors enjoyed more possession in the first half and created the first two chances in Durban, with Kamogelo Sebelebele testing Zakahle Ngcobo from distance on 11 minutes before Bernard Parker steered a header over the crossbar from a 14th-minute corner.
Ruzaigh Gamildien had a sniff at goal for the KZN outfit on 19 minutes but failed to hit the target with a header from Lesego Manganyi’s cross on the left and their next attempt on 32 minutes saw Tebogo Potsane force a good save out of Melusi Buthelezi with a strike from range.
There were a flurry of chances at both ends in the closing stages of the half as Parker drew a fine save out of Ngcobo with a long-range shot on 38 minutes and then hit the left post from close range two minutes later after making contact with Orebotse Mongae’s cross.
Lesego Manganyi went close for Royal AM soon afterwards with a header that flew just over the bar from a corner before Andre de Jong struck the right post from inside the box in stoppage time after being picked out by Tebogo Potsane.
Galaxy continued to signal their intentions after the break as Sphiwe Mahlangu guided a header narrowly over the goal from Mongae’s cross in the 50th minute, although Buthelezi was called into action on 66 minutes to keep out an effort from Potsane inside the box.
Spiwe Msimango was presented with two chances in quick succession on 69 minutes, first producing a save out of Ngcobo with a header from Parker’s cross before heading a corner wide of the right post.
However, the hosts had a golden opportunity to open the scoring on 76 minutes after Potsane was brought down inside the area by Marks Munyai, which resulted in the midfielder picking up an injury and having to be substituted.
The delay in play seemed to affect Gamildien though, as he struck the bar from the resulting penalty and the danger was averted.
Substitute Elias Pelembe almost broke the deadlock six minutes from time with a free-kick that just failed to curled inside the right post and the woodwork came to Galaxy’s rescue again in added time when Ricardo Nascimento hit the bar from a corner.