Better from Bucs

Two strikers. It's what Orlando Pirates fans have been crying for and last night, against Mamelodi Sundowns, caretaker coach Eric Tinkler heeded their call to have two men upfront to cause havoc.

Many felt Kermit Erasmus and Lehlohonolo Majoro would make a perfect striking pair for Bucs, but Tinkler had other ideas.

Lennox Bacela, a forgotten man, got the nod to start ahead of Majoro and he reminded fans he still exists with a goal that lifted the mood in a game that finished 1-1.

Playing upfront with Erasmus from the start, Bacela latched onto a loose ball in the area from a corner kick to cancel out Khama Billiat's fifth-minute strike.

The wild celebrations demonstrated just how much the goal meant to Bacela and the Pirates team that had come into the game on the back of two defeats against Maritzburg United and Kaizer Chiefs.

Bacela's goal, converted just after the half-hour mark, was scored at a time when Pirates were finding their feet after a nervy start.

Bucs were camping in Sundowns' half and should have, in fact, been ahead.

With the fans in a frenzy after a good end to the first half, Pirates started the second half brightly.

Defender Siyabonga Sangweni's shot hit the side netting, then Bacela's close-range header struck the upright before Erasmus' shot was saved by Kennedy Mweene after the hour-mark. Substitute Thabo Rakhale also had a go from range, but Mweene saved.

Bucs were in the mood, but they just could not get the winner. They remain in ninth place and Sundowns drop to third.

Sbu Mjikeliso reports that Sibusiso Vilakazi, with his first taste of the net all season, scored a hat-trick as Bidvest Wits beat Ajax Cape Town 4-2 in a thriller at Bidvest Stadium.

It was a pivotal return to form for Vilakazi because if Wits are to close in on Kaizer Chiefs, who are 11 points ahead, they will need his pistons firing.

Vilakazi put The Students ahead 11 minutes after Maliele Vincent Pule tied the Ajax defence in knots before crossing into the six-yard area. It wasn't Vilakazi's most electrifying strike but it restored his silky smooth touches.

Two minutes from the break Thulani Hlatshwayo headed in a Ben Motshwari corner to double Wits' money.

Curiously, Ajax goalkeeper Anssi Jaakkola, so tall that he could touch the crossbar, couldn't even get close to punch the corner away. Nonetheless, the 2-0 half-time lead served to calm the usually waspish Gavin Hunt down the touchline.

With the second half 20 minutes old, Ajax right back Nazeer Allie skinned Pule down the right and launched a bazooka that 'keeper Moeneeb Josephs could do nothing about. Lolo almost repeated the trick down the other flank five minutes later but Josephs tipped over. This proved crucial because Vilakazi tapped in at the other end, scrounging from a rebounded Jabulani Shongwe shot.

Vilakazi anaesthetised the anxiety caused by Noah Sadaoui eight minutes from time with a goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time to complete his hat-trick.