Collins Mbesuma struck in the 68th minute, pouncing when Santos goalkeeper Brendan Wardle could not hold on to substitute John Moshoeu’s fiery strike. Despite the attention of a beaten Wardle and Musa Otieno, Mbesuma forced the ball into the back of the net to earn a crucial three points for the Phefeni glamour boys.

Santos started the Castle Premiership match with dogged determination, but a mix-n-match Chiefs team soon began to dominate the half. Marawaan Bantam had a shot on goal in the first minute for the home team but it was the visitors, through Arthur Zwane, Gerald Sibeko and Simphiwe Mbambo, who peppered the opposing keeper.

Simphiwe Mkhonza made a goal-saving tackle on the industrious Bantam in the 13th minute. The attacking midfielder proved to be a handful as he always found space, and when Thembile Kanono slipped the ball to him it appeared as if the hosts would go one up.

Nonetheless, they kept up the pressure and two minutes later Omar Hendricks arrived for a corner, that evaded the Chiefs backline, that the young winger just missed.

Zwane slightly had the better of former Wits University fullback Ashley Makhanya at right-back, and 15 minutes into the game he set-up Sibeko from eight yards out. However, the dread-locked midfielder blasted the ball high over the target.

Wardle also made an excellent save off a Zwane free-kick that was heading to the keeper’s right-hand corner. In total, 14 shots were taken by the visitors but Wardle passed the half with great promise, much to the disappointment of the Soweto teams’ bench.

Still, the best chance fell to The Peoples’ Team when Hendricks', set-up by the towering striker Jean-Marc Ithier, thunderous left-footed shot thudded off the upright with Rowen Fernandez well beaten. Mkhonza and his captain Patrick Mabedi rarely put a foot wrong, though, as they comfortably contained the Mauritius striker throughout the stanza.

After 46 minutes referee Ace Ncobo signaled for the break.

Coach David Byrne replaced Bantam, who was arguably Santos’ best player on the field, with striker Carlo Scott, suggesting his intention to get goals. Yet it was the Mighty Amakhosi who immediately attacked just as the half began, but again they found Wardle in good form.

In the 59th minute Amakhosi left-back Bevan Fransman made a storming run into the hosts 18-yard area and unleashed a rasping shot that Wardle blocked, and his befuddled defenders hastily cleared, as Mbesuma threatened to latch onto the rebound.

Ntofotofo, as Mbesuma is known by the Chiefs faithful, struck 10 minutes later when Moshoeu, who replaced Sibeko, ran at the Santos defence and let go with a seemingly harmless, yet forceful, drive at goal. Wardle fumbled and the Zambian international striker was in striking distance and powered the ball past the hapless keeper and Otieno to send the partisan Cape-based Chiefs fans into high spirits.

Coach Ted Dumitru sent on the defense-minded Derrick Spencer for Zwane with 15 minutes to go, indicating that one goal was all his team needed from the under-pressure Cape side, who have now conceded 31 goals in 22 outings.

The gold-and-the-beautiful remain second with 41 points from 21 games while the 2001/02 league champs have only 21 points.

With Byrne and Dumitru exchanging unpleasantries at the end of an Amakhosi dominated game, the Peoples’ Team find themselves sinking deeper into the relegation cellar, while the Soweto giant keeps the pressure on their traditional rivals.