ANDREW MUCHINERIPI, Johannesburg | Saturday 10.00am.
ONE unlikely pacesetter replaced another at the top of the Castle Premiership standings on Friday night with unglamorous Free State Stars taking a one-point lead over Jomo Cosmos.
Stars came from behind in Durban to draw 1-1 with AmaZulu at Kings Park while a late goal off a penalty kick earned SuperSport United a 1-0 victory against Cosmos in Pretoria.
Mother City achieved their first league win in style by walloping struggling Bush Bucks 4-1 and Santos overcame Manning Rangers more comfortably than the 2-1 score suggests in another Cape Town match.
Jabulani Ndwandwe headed AmaZulu in front after 20 minutes when goalkeeper Mathews Setholo weakly punched away a long throw-in from former Orlando Pirates defensive stalwart Gavin Lane.
In an incident-filled start to the second half, Ndwandwe had to retire with a serious head wound, Stars captain Themba Sali was sent off and Thato Mokoena equalised.
Bafana Bafana defender Clyde Mahlangu and midfielder Michael Araujo were the SuperSport heroes at Caledonian Stadium with the former shackling leading Cosmos scorer Nkosinathi Nhleko while Araujo struck the 85th-minute winner.
Daniel Sekheto scored and was shown a red card as perennial strugglers Santos achieved their third success in five matches. Vincent Sokhela made it 2-0 before Keryn Jordan snatched an injury-time consolation goal.
Alton Meiring maintained his rich scoring form with two goals as Mother City outclassed Bucks, whose reply came from highly-rated striker Patrick Mayo soon after half-time.