Santos’ fine form continued on Friday night when they thrashed Black Leopards 4-0 at the Athlone Stadium.
The Limpopo side started the game on a positive note, but while they looked good in the build ups to attacks, they failed to trouble Santos keeper Wayne Roberts with any noteworthy efforts.
Santos had early chances with shots by Thando Mngomeni and Erwin Isaacs, but Leopards keeper Mashudu Mamphita was able to make comfortable saves on both occasions.
In the 26th minute there was little he could do as Mngomeni’s free-kick deflected off the defensive wall and into the back of the net.
The second goal came nine minutes later when Isaacs and Eleazar Rodgers beat the off-side trap to run on to a cross from Thom-Rick October. While Isaacs failed to control the ball, Rodgers was on hand to beat Mamphita at the back post with a neat finish.
Leopards started the second half well and came close to pulling a goal back in the 60th minute when Alpheus Kekana’s powerfully struck effort was brilliantly saved by Roberts.
Santos added their third goal in the 63rd minute when Romano Scott’s effort took a deflection off a defender and looped into the goal.
Two minutes later Scott had his second and Santos’ fourth when he raced onto Mngomeni’s pass and put the ball past Mamphita and into the back of the net.
Ryan Chapman could have added a fifth goal, but failed to beat Mamphita after being put clean through on goal. — Sapa