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The result takes Arrows up into ninth position, while Cosmos remain rooted to the foot of the table.
Ezenkosi were by no means outplayed by their KZN opposition, bur the difference between the two sides on the night lay in the superiority of the Arrows attack, with the hosts needing to rely on a superb goal keeping display by Avril Phali to keep the goal-count down.
The home side enjoyed some good moments in attack in the first 25 minutes of the game, although striker Sekou Camara often found himself isolated up front as coach Jomo Sono elected to go with a five man midfield.
Phali was the first goal keeper called into action, doing well to rush off his line in the 13th minute and steal the ball off the feet of a goal-bound Njabulo Manqana.
In the 22nd minute Camara received the ball in the box, but his parting shot from a central position flew over the bar.
Six minutes later the same player burst goal-wards for Ezenkosi, but a heavy touch saw the angle closed down and there was no threat to the Arrows goal.
The opening goal of the game arrived in the 34th minute when Manqana bisected the Cosmos defence with a superb ball, leaving Thanduyise Khuboni with the relatively simple chance of slotting the ball past Phali.
It was certainly Abafana Bes’thende who ended the half the stronger side as Thamsanqa Gabuza netted with a superb header from Richard Henyekane’s pin-point cross, only to have his effort ruled off-sides, while Bafo Biyela tested Phali with a wellstruck free kick just before the break.
After the restart, Arrows continued where they had left off in the opening stanza as Manqana brought too sharp saves out of Phali within seven second half minutes.
But slowly Cosmos began to up their game and Arrows keeper Thulasizwe Khuzwayo soon had some work to do as he kept out a stinging shot from Ayo Oluwafemi and a less well hit effort by substitute Siza Dlamini.
Gabuza though could have wrapped up the win for Arrows with 15 minutes to go, when he had a free header in the box, but Phali used all of his ability and experience to make a fine diving save to tip the ball over the bar.
And three minutes later Phali again came to his side’s rescue as he dived bravely at the feet of Henyekane to stop the Bafana Bafana striker from getting a shot in on goal.
Both sides had their moments in attack in the closing minutes of play, but there were no more goals as Arrows held on for the win, despite an improved second half showing from the home team.
Jomo Cosmos (0) 0
Golden Arrows (1) 1 (Khuboni 34’)
Arrows: (4-4-2) Khuzwayo; Zwane, Musonda, Bilankulu, Tom; Shange (Mshengu 72’), Biyela, Khuboni, Manqana; Gabuza (Mashego 80’), R Henyekane
Cosmos: (4-5-1) Phali; Moloto, Tshilo, Samb, Oluwafemi (Modabi 73’); Hlalele, Mhlathe, Badenhorst, Diarra, Gaborone (Dlamini 65’); Camara (Mathopa 28’)
