Ajax Cape Town sealed their first victory since November 2012 when they sealed an emphatic 4-2 Absa Premiership victory over Free State Stars in which both Abia Nale and Khama Billiat bagged a brace and a goal.
Thapelo Mkhatshwa put the visitors in the lead but an inspired performance by Abia Nale helped Ajax turn the scoreline in his favour before a dramatic finish with late goals by Sedate Ouro-Akoriko and Billiat made it 4-2.
Ajax Cape Town came into the game desperate of turnaround in form in hope of removing themselves out of the relegation.
It has been a similar case of bad form for Steve Komphela’s side who have seen their chances of a top four finish crushed with their four match winless run having seen them slipped to seventh placed on the log.
Jan Versleijen blasted his players after the 3-1 loss to Mamelodi Sundowns in the midweek and he opted to completely reshuffle his team with five changes to the line-up.
Lebogang Manyama, Abia Nale and Wanderson formed part of a new attacking trio, due to Khama Billiat being dropped and Mabhuti Khenyeza’s suspension, but it was Lance Davids who struck the first effort at goal which was sent wide of the goal.
The attacking force of Free State Stars has been put under heavy scrutiny throughout the campaign but in an ironic turn of events they found themselves leading after 1-0 after 21 minutes.
It was another trademark error in Ajax’s gaping defence and they failed to close down Thapelo Mkhatshwa who struck a low effort to beat Sander Westerveld at the near post.
With their PSL status at stake Ajax needed to come up with something to get themselves back into the game and they did so 12 minutes later. Nale spotted Manyama unmarked at the far post and he supplied a great cross which allowed the right-sided player to complete the simple tap-in.
Six minutes before the break and the visitors were dealt another blow when Moeketsi Mvula had to replace Fikru Lemessa due to injury.
With the match delicately poised, the Urban Warriors knew that they needed to come out firing with all cylinders and they did so in fine fashion when Nale converted a long ball into the box to make it 2-1.
Matthew Booth made amends for his bad positioning on the goal when he made a perfectly timed 62nd minute intervention on Moeketsi Mvula’s cross to flick the ball over the crossbar, possibly making the save of the day.
Khama Billiat came on for the cramping Nale and he managed to lob the ball over Tshepo Motsoeneng put Ajax up 3-1.
The Ea Lla Koto then responded three minutes later through Sedate Ouro-Akoriko when he rattled the back of the net with a powerful strike from range, before Billiat provided another assist to Manyama who made it 4-2.
Ajax Cape Town: (1) 4 (Mayama 33’ + 90’, Nale 49’, Billiat 86)
Free State Stars: (1) 2 (Mkhatshwa 21’, Ouro-Akoriko 89’)
Ajax Cape Town: Westerveld, Mokeke, Allie, Booth, Lolo, Scott, Davids, Nale (Billiat 82’), Manyama, Van de Laak (Graham 64’), Wanderson (Vezi 69’)
Free State Stars: Motsoeneng, Ouro-Akorika, Gege, Wiltwer (Sambu 52’), Kerspuy, Thebakang, Nomandela, Venter (Wome 61’), Masehe, Mkhatshwa, Lemessa (Mvula 39’) – Backpage Media