Bafana striker Tshegofatso Mabasa was ecstatic after scoring his first hat-trick as Orlando Pirates put seven goals past Golden Arrows in the DStv Premiership.
The 27-year-old got the scoring underway for the Buccaneers in the 11th minute at the Orlando Stadium.
Relebohile Mofokeng quickly doubled the lead on 14 minutes ahead of a 32nd minute Kabelo Dlamini strike to leave Arrows thouroughly reeling.
But the rampant Bucs continued to tear their opponents apart in the second half as Mabasa scored again on 51 minutes. Second-half substitute Sandile Mthethwa was next to add his name to the scoresheet with 15 minutes of the match remaining.
Arrows did manage to score though Lungelo Nguse with 77 minutes on the clock but Mabasa completed his hat-trick a minute later, while Karim Kimvuidi came off the bench to net a stoppage time goal for a 7-1 victory.
The result ended a run of three games without a win to move the CAF chasing club into third place on the standings with 37 points – just two adrift of Stellenbosch in second but having played a game more.
Arrows, who had seemingly been improving since the return of Steve Komphela as head coach, ended the afternoon in ninth position with 30 points.
A delighted Mabasa told SuperSport after the game: “I don’t have enough words to describe how I am feeling, and (to describe) the game we managed to display for the people here.
“We had to fix the displays in our last two matches.
“We deserved the points but never took our chances. Today we took our chances. It is crazy, this is a talented team, and if we beliefve in the abilities we have an listen to the coaches’ instructions we can go very far.
“People will begin to notice what Pirates are about.”
Mabasa now has seven goals in eight matches for Pirates since his return from a loan spell at Moroka Swallows in January.