'I feel okay': Crystal Lake goalkeeper holds head high after Pirates hammering

Excellent Mkhonto was filled with pride as he walked around Mbombela Stadium on Saturday afternoon despite being hammered by Orlando Pirates. 

The Crytal Lake goalkeeper conceded four of the half-a-dozen goals Pirates scored in the 6-0 drubbing of the amateur side from Mpumalanga in the Nedbank Cup's last 32.

This is the second time Mkhonto has been at the end of a 6-0 drubbing in the Nedbank Cup. Last season, while still on the books of Liver Bothers, Mkhonto shipped in six goals against Sekhukhune United.

He was spared from being the one beaten in all six goals on Saturday as he was substituted when Pirates were 4-0 up in the first half, with three of those goals coming in a space of 11 minutes. 

"I feel okay after ... even if they scored 10, I would not have had a problem. I would have been proud. This is a big team and we had to play them," said Mkhonto. 

"We didn't have a choice, and say we won't play because it is a big team and we will lose."

The SAFA Regional League side wasn't helped by the legal challenge Middelburg United brought to question the legitimacy of Crystal Lake as Mpumalanga's representative in the province despite losing to Lake in the qualifying round. 

United claimed Lake's physio was not who he is, which dragged the confirmation of which Mpumalanga side would be in the competition. Lake found out a few days before the game that their win over United was sustained – paving the way for them to face Pirates, the defending champions. 

"I don't want to point fingers where I am not supposed to," said Crystal Lake's coach, Magic Nyalungu. 

"But that case had a very, very negative impact on our side as far as preparations are concerned. All the teams knew who they were going to face from the day the draw was