Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp has revealed that he took advice from Steve Komphela and Jomo Sono ahead of the Soweto derby.

A first-half strike by Lebogang Manyama helped Amakhosi secure a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Pirates at the FNB Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Glamour Boys have now extended their lead at the top of the table to seven points over second-placed Mamelodi Sundowns and nine over Pirates in third place.

‘It’s quite a good outcome. We were talking a lot about advice from Steve Komphela, Jomo [Sono] and basically they are right. These last ten games it’s about mentality, how you handle it, how you take it,’ Middendorp told SuperSport TV after the game.

‘And I know my players, I know this team, I know them very well. I could see during the week already that we’re prepared, we want it and unfortunately here and there some injuries.

‘Leonardo [Castro] had to go off as you see, Willard Katsande had to go out and that’s always a difficult moment, players from the bench, in particular huge compliment to [Anthony] Akumu coming on and taking over in a really crucial position.

‘I’m very proud of it and I think each and everybody on the Kaizer Chiefs side – players, technical team, supporters – deserve this moment and they should enjoy it.’

The German mentor also praised his side for keeping the Buccaneers at bay as they came into this game on a six-match unbeaten run, with their last defeat coming against Chiefs in the last meeting between the teams.

‘It’s very different from what I have seen with all the other teams and I travel and follow the teams. It was very important today to do positional defending, not going in advance marking, keep the central corridors closed, make sure you’re prepared for the balls on top of the defence line.

‘And, of course, the reference point has to be the ball and your own teammates. Not the other, don’t follow them, getting tracked out, getting pulled out, this is not, then you’re in a really nonsense position and I think the players have done well.

‘Good, we had some moments when they had possibilities to score but other moments on the other side – I think it’s Eric [Mathoho] and other players – we had the possibility to make it 2-0 and a close book would [have been] earlier.’