ANDREW MUCHINERIPI, Johannesburg | Tuesday 11.15am.
SUNDOWNS stretched their lead at the top of the Castle Premiership national championship standings to five points with a 3-1 win over lowly Mother City while closest rivals Manning Rangers lost 1-0 at home to Kaizer Chiefs.
Daniel Mudau, the leading league scorer last season, has lost little of his appetite for goals with two more against the Cape club and Themba Mnguni grabbed the other while Alton Meiring hit a late consolation goal for City.
Sundowns, who have settled quickly under new coach Paul Dolezar and assistant Neil Tovey, have 22 points from eight matches, five more than Rangers, who have played two games more.
The Mighty Maulers always struggle against Chiefs and fell to a
breakaway goal midway through the second half from Siyabonga Nomvete, who beat an offside trap and raced in from the wing to slam the ball past Grant Johnson.
Inactive Classic remain third and Hellenic held on to fourth place despite conceding two late goals to draw 2-2 at home with Wits University, who levelled in the last minute through Tony Coyle.
Unpredictable Jomo Cosmos lost a chance to gain ground by going down
2-1 at home to Moroka Swallows with Siza Nombe snatching an 87th-minute winner for the improving Birds.
The poor results of newly-formed Ajax Cape Town continued as they were beaten 2-0 by Santos in a Cape derby. Mauritian striker Jean-Marc Ithier struck an injury-time goal to seal the points.
Bush Bucks remain at the bottom of the table despite coming from behind to draw 1-1 at SuperSport United. Zimbabwean Tauya Murewa put the Pretoria club ahead and Pretoria-born Bernard Gama levelled.