New Polokwane City coach Luc Eymael praised his players for holding their defensive lines after being reduced to 10-men against Wits on Tuesday.
Rise and Shine held the university club to a goalless draw despite the red-card to Thapelo Tshilo shortly after the interval at the Peter Mokaba Stadium.
The Belgian tactician has been encouraged by his team’s character since taking over from Julio Leal.
"It was very tough when we lost Thapelo. You know we created five big chances in the first half, unfortunately we didn't score, like we did against Cape Town City," Eymael told KickOff.
"To play more than one half with 10 players, with this squad, with this investment, I can thank my boys a lot for a very good job. It was a very tough game. To play 48 minutes 10 against 11, it's not easy. But it's an exercise that we are doing in training with the shifting and everything. I am happy about that.
"I have to take one point, I am a competitor you know. I had big teams for five or six years in Africa. I know that Polokwane City is not Wits, Pirates, Chiefs and everything."
Polokwane will take on Ajax Cape Town at the Cape Town Stadium on next week Tuesday.