Gallants moved down to 14th position on the log.
Orlando Pirates extended their lead at the top of the Betway Premiership standings after handing struggling Marumo Gallants a 3-0 drubbing at a packed Orlando Amstel Arena on Saturday.
The convincing victory saw the Buccaneers move six points clear of second-placed Mamelodi Sundowns with the teams set to face each other in their next encounter at the FNB Stadium on Wednesday night.
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Bahlabane Ba Ntwa, on the other side, moved down to 14th position on the log with 15 points after 18 games. The defeat also put more pressure on coach Alexander Laffite whose future at the club now looked more and more uncertain.
Mbuthuma gave the Buccaneers the perfect start to the game when he finished off a clever well weighted cross from Relebohile Mofokeng in the fourth minute.
Masindi Nemtajela then looked to add another goal from range in the 20th minute, but his attempt to find the bottom left corner was saved by Washington Arubi.
The early goal seemed to rattle Gallants as they resorted to defending in numbers and committing unnecessary fouls in dangerous areas. As a result, the game became a stop and start affair.
With Gallants sitting back, it didn’t take long for Pirates to find their second goal and they found it through Patrick Maswanganyi whose deflected shot left Arubi stranded in goal in the 29th minute. It was the midfielder’s fourth league goal of the season.
Maswanganyi wasted a glorious chance to grab his brace and to put the game beyond Gallants’ reach in the 38th minute when he dribbled past several players, but hesitated to take a shot with only Arubi in front of him and the opportunity went begging.
A minute later, Oswin Appollis tried his luck from range, but his shot lacked the necessary power to trouble Arubi.
Gallants tried to conjure up some chances as the half-time break approached, but the home side’s defence, led by solid work from the centre-backs, kept things tight and made sure no big chances came the visitors’ way.
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Bahlabane Ba Ntwa tried to push back in the second half, but Pirates’ midfield bossed the game, winning back the ball quickly and starting fresh attacks.
The icing came in the 86th minute. Mofokeng dribbled his way past several Gallants defenders before cleverly beating Arubi with a well-taken shot, making it 3-0 and sealing a comfortable win for Pirates.
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