Goals by Keegan Ritchie and Buhle Mkhwanazi saw Bidvest Wits claim a 2-1 win against Maritzburg United at the Bidvest Stadium on Tuesday evening, writes MARSHALL GOUTS.

The home side got off to a bright start and looked particularly dangerous through the overlapping runs of fullbacks Sifiso Hlanti and Reeve Frosler.

Elias Pelembe came agonisingly close to giving Wits the lead in the eighth minute, but his long-range stinging effort was kept out by goalkeeper Richard Ofori.

The Clever Boys were not to be denied seven minutes later, when defender Ritchie found the back of the net with an absolute beauty of a free kick which left the shot-stopper rooted.

Fadlu Davids’ side were not deterred by their one-goal deficit as they continued their patient build-up of intricate passes. However, the midfield duo of Cole Alexander and Granwald Scott did well in combating dangermen Lebogang Maboe and Siphesihle Ndlovu.

James Keene should have doubled his side’s lead when he did well to get on to the end of Lehlohonolo Majoro’s ball into the area, however, the striker’s effort was kept out by Ofori.

Maritzburg came out in the second half with more of an attacking intent with Andrea Fileccia proving a handful to the central-defensive pairing of Thulani Hlatshwayo and Mkhwanazi.

Gavin Hunt made his first change of the night in the 56th minute when Vincent Pule entered the fray for Keene. Davids responded with a change of his own as he threw on Ujaun McDonald for Fileccia.

Rodgers replaced Majoro upfront on the half-hour mark as Wits looked to put the final nail in the coffin. Maritzburg were level in the 78th minute when substitute Mohau Mokate bagged his fourth goal of the campaign.

Mkhwanazi gave Wits maximum points when his header found the back of the net in the 84th minute from a well-worked corner.

Maritzburg United XI: Antwi, Fileccia, Fransman, Xulu, Sanoka, Ndlovu, Matima, Maboe, Reuck, Shandu, Kunene

Bidvest Wits XI: Keet, Keene, Majoro, Hlanti, Mkhwanazi, Ritchie, Hlatshwayo, Frosler, Pelembe, Alexander, Scott

In the other Absa Premiership fixture, Ajax Cape Town were dealt a massive blow in their bid to avoid relegation as they lost 2-1 to AmaZulu.

Photo: Sydney Mahlangu/Backpagepix