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Cape Town - Highlands Park kept their good run against Polokwane City going with a 2-0 victory at Makhulong Stadium in the Absa Premiership on Sunday.
Having knocked Rise and Shine out of the MTN8 on penalties, the Lions of the North continue to torment the side from Polokwane with a league victory this time.
Mothobi Mvala and Peter Shalulile scored Highlands' goals in a match in which clear-cut chances were few and far between.
Lindokuhle Mbatha brought down Mpho Mvelase on the edge of the box down the right-hand side in the fifth minute. Jabulani Maluleke produced a pinpoint delivery but Salulani Phiri somehow powered his header over from point-blank range.
Five minutes later, the ball fell kindly to Sphiwe Mahlangu from a corner, who hit a volley on the turn that sneaked just past the right-hand upright.
In the 15th minute, Shalulile won the ball back deep in Rise and Shine territory and Mbatha looked to be through on goal but the City defence got back in time to snuff out the danger.
Highlands took the lead in the 22nd minute. Ryan Rae's long throw-in from the right-hand side was flicked on in to the box by two Highlands players before Mvala added the finishing touch with a volley to hit the back of the net.
The Lions of the North began to sit back after taking the lead and allowing the visitors on to them which was a dangerous thing to do. Despite this, Zlatko Krmpotic's side were unable to find a way through the deep-lying defence and went in to the interval trailing 1-0.
City midfielder Maluleke was pulling the strings in midfield and causing the hosts' defence problems with his long-range passing.
Highlands were looking dangerous on the counter-attack and Mvala broke down the left-hand side before weaving his way past his marker but the angle was too tight and his effort hit the side-netting.
Rae continued to cause havoc in the Rise and Shine defence with his characteristic long-range throws. Chances were few and far between and Peter Shalulile bent narrowly over from a dead-ball situation with 15 minutes to go.
Shalulile put the icing on the cake in stoppage time when he won the ball back in midfield and skipped past the last defender before burying the ball in to the top right-hand corner on his left foot for his sixth goal in six matches.
