Swallows fall under Arrows' barrage

Golden Arrows registered their biggest win of the DStv Premiership season as they hammered Swallows 4-0 at the Princess Magogo Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

A goal in each half from Nduduzo Sibiya and further contributions from Pule Mmodi and Nqobeko Dlamini handed Vusumuzi Vilakazi's side a comprehensive victory in Durban, which lifted them up to fifth in the standings on 11 points.

The Dube Birds are just two points clear of the bottom two in 14th place after suffering back-to-back losses, leaving them winless in their last three games

Both teams were looking to bounce back from defeats last time out, with Arrows going down 2-1 to defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns, while Swallows lost to Stellenbosch by the same scoreline.

The visitors created the majority of the chances in the first half, but Abafana Bes'thende were more clinical, scoring with two of their four shots on target.

Dylan Kerr's troops made the better start and threatened after just four minutes when Darrel Matsheke tested Nkosingiphile Gumede with a strike from range before the midfielder fired wide of the right post from inside the box five minutes later.

However, they soon found themselves on the back foot after Sibiya went down under a challenge from Yagan Sasman inside the area and the referee pointed to the spot. Sibiya dusted himself off and stepped up to convert from 12 yards out, giving the hosts a 13th-minute lead.

It was 2-0 just moments later as Mmodi beat Thakasani Mbanjwa with a shot from range that nestled into the bottom left corner of the net to make it four goals in four games.

Knox Mutizwa came close to extending their lead just before the half-hour mark, but Mbanjwa was equal to the task on this occasion, saving the striker's effort from range. He also denied Mmodi from a tight angle on the left.

The Soweto outfit looked for a way back into the contest before the break, with Mwape Musonda failing to hit the target with two headers in the latter stages, while Tshediso Patjie headed over Nicholus Lukhubeni's cross on the stroke of halftime.

Swallows continued to apply pressure after the restart and Musonda directed a header inches over the crossbar from Pentjie Zulu's cross in the 49th minute before Patjie just cleared the goal with a shot from inside the box on the left two minutes later.

Patjie did manage to draw a save out of Gumede with his next attempt from outside the area on the hour mark after Musonda had wasted another opportunity to get on the scoresheet two minutes earlier.

The Dube Birds were made to pay on 66 minutes when Sibiya struck again, firing home from inside the D after being set up by Mmodi. Things got even worse for them four minutes later as Dlamini scored on the rebound, having seen Mmodi's initial shot come back off the post.

Waseem Isaacs was presented with a late chance to bag a consolation goal for Swallows, although he wasn't able to beat Gumede in the final minute after being played in on the right by Thato Makua.

Golden Arrows (2) 4 (Sibiya 13' PEN, 66', Mmodi 14', Dlamini 70')

Swallows 0

Golden Arrows: N. Gumede, S. Ndlovu, N. Nxadi, T. Zuke, D. Lunga (T. Mantshiyane 86'), V. Ndwandwe (R. Moon 82'), N. Dlamini, L. Dube, N. Sibiya (A. Fikizolo 82'), P. Mmodi, K. Mutizwa (S. Khumalo 65').

Swallows: T. Mbanjwa, N. Lukhubeni (K. Malinga 63'), K. Mngonyama, K. Allan, Y. Sasman (W. Letlabika 37'), M. Wambi, D. Matsheke, P. Zulu, L. Mtshali (P. Mvelase 76'), M. Musonda (W. Isaacs 76'), T. Patjie (T. Makua 63').