PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - Goals flowed freely as Oriented Birds Football Club kept their title ambitions alive with a comman-ding 6-2 victory over Simunye FC in the Safa Eden Regional Men's League on Saturday 7 March.

The match, played at Lawaaikamp Sta-dium, produced an entertaining display of attacking football as the Plettenberg Bay outfit dominated proceedings and showcased some of their best form of the campaign.

Oriented Birds opened the scoring early after sustained pressure in midfield allowed Siyabonga Sodumo to find the back of the net, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead. The Birds continued to attack down the flanks and soon doubled their advantage when Ikho Ntsuntsu finished off a well-delivered cross from the left.

Simunye tried to force their way back into the match, pressing the visitors' defence in search of mistakes, but Oriented Birds held firm to take a 2-0 lead into the half-time break.

The second half began with the hosts pushing forward, but the introduction of winger Awonke Sondaba proved decisive. The speedy attacker extended the lead to 3-0 before Simunye responded through Luzuko Sabelesiva to make it 3-1.

Sondaba then took control of the con-test, scoring twice more to complete a hat-trick as the Birds surged ahead. Afika Tywetywe briefly revived Simunye's hopes with their second goal, but Siyamthanda Macakela sealed the emphatic 6-2 win late in the match.

The result lifts Oriented Birds into the league's top three on 30 points after the first round of fixtures, while Simunye continue their push for a place in the top eight.

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