Tshegofatso Mabasa nets hat-trick as Pirates thrash woeful Arrows

The chameleon that is Orlando Pirates wore its bright colours on Saturday as they produced a swaggering performance to put Golden Arrows to the sword at Orlando Stadium. 

This convincing 7-1 DStv Premiership win, where Tshegofatso Mabasa scored a hat-trick, was in stark contrast to their pedestrian display during the 1-1 draw with Moroka Swallows during the week at Dobsonville Stadium. 

It is this level of inconsistency that has left Pirates 12 point behind runaway log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, even though they have played four matches more than the Brazilians.  

They wore their bright colours on Saturday as they as they put seven goals past a hapless Arrows side and moved to third sport on the standings with 37 points from 23 matches as the race for second intensifies. 

Even though they were not at their best against Swallows, Pirates coach Jośe Riveiro kept faith in his players and he was forced into two changes, with suspended Nkosinathi Sibisi and injured Thalente Mbatha replaced by Thabiso Sesane and Makhehleni Makhaula. 

For Arrows, who remain ninth spot with 30 points from 23 matches, this turned out to be the first defeat for coach Steve Komphela since his recent return to the club. In his unsuccessful mission to get something positive from Pirates, Komphela went with a team of tried-and-tested players like Thabani Zuke, Gladwin Shitolo, Nduduzo Sibiya and Knox Mutizwa, but they were no match for Pirates.

Pirates got out of the blocks in breathtaking style and by the half-hour mark were already leading 3-0 after goals by Mabasa, Relebohile Mofokeng and Kabelo Dlamini. 

Sensing danger, Komphela reorganised his team with an early substitution, replacing Kagiso Malinga with Lungelo Nguse after 35 minutes, but the game was already Pirates'. 

Earlier, Pirates took the lead after 11 minutes when Mabasa struck home after collecting the ball from Arrows goalkeeper Sifiso Mlungwana, who parried a shot from Makhaula into the path of oncoming Mabasa, who made no mistake to register his eighth goal of the season. 

The goal sparked more life into Pirates as they launched another attack. It resulted in the second by Relebohile Mofokeng, who has been shy of goals. Mofokeng, who was released by a good pass from the midfield, controlled the ball outside the Arrows box from where he launched an attack, eliminated Mlungwana before putting the ball into the back of the net. 

The floodgates were opened as Dlamini joined the party with the third goal that effectively settled this match as a contest after he found himself unmarked in the box to finish. 

Pirates could have gone to the break 4-0 up but Mabasa was denied by Mlungwana from the penalty spot. He made up for that mistake when he registered his brace after 51 minutes. 

There was a flurry of goals in the closing stages from Sandile Mthethwa, Nguse, Mabasa (registering his hat-trick) and Karin Kimvuidi, as Pirates registered their biggest win of the season.