Cape Town - Free State Stars crushed Platinum Stars 3-1 at the Goble Park Stadium on Wednesday to claim their first win in the ABSA Premiership this season.
Free State were on the front foot from the word go and claimed the lead in the 12th minute, with Mbuyiselo Thethani firing home a left-footed shot after some fine attacking play by the hosts.
The hosts continued where they left off in the early minutes of the second half, forcing Steven Hoffman into a couple of sharp saves through the likes of Moeketsi Sekola and Nhlanhla Vilakazi.
Platinum Stars had offered very little in attack for most of the match, but midway through the second half they almost claimed an equaliser through Robert Ng’ambi, only for the Malawian to be denied by an excellent save from Thela Ngobeni.
That chance gave Dikwena hope of a comeback, but that was soon quelled by a goal for Free State’s Danny Venter to make it 2-0 with the winger beating Hoffman with a right-footed shot in the 79th minute to put the result beyond doubt.
And just a minute later Ea Lla Koto rubbed further salt into the wound, with Sekotlong making it 3-0, while the Rustenburg side was at least able to claim a consolation goal when Henrico Botes converted a late penalty.