Orlando Pirates have increased their lead at the top of the Castle Premiership after having registered their first ever win over Silver Stars in a PSL match played at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Despite playing without a number of first team regulars, Pirates were in a class of their own and were in control for most of the game.

The Buccaneers certainly enjoyed the better of the opening 45 minutes — they had 17 chances on goal and spent most of their time camped in the Stars half.

Felix Musasa and Lebohang Mokoena both had strikes on goal in the opening minutes, while the home team's first opportunity arrived in the 10th minute when Manqoba Kunene struck a great shot from 30-yards out which forced Bucs 'keeper Francis Chansa into making an excellent diving save.

In the 16th minute Stars goalie Gareth Ormshaw pulled off a stunning save to deny Musasa's long range shot from dipping into the top corner of the goal.

Amabhakabhaka wasted a great chance to score in the 22nd minute when Lucky Lekgwathi played in a dangerous ball across the Stars box, but from only three yards out, Mokoena was not able to get enough contact on the ball to hit the back of the net.

Seven minutes later Kunene could have put the home side in the lead when Chansa fumbled a cross, but the Stars midfielder blasted his shot over from right underneath the bar.

In the 39th minute Pirates twice came close — first through a typical storming run by Bennedict Vilakazi, and then Mokoena, who was causing the home side plenty of problems with his blistering pace, saw his effort deflected over the crossbar.

It was from the resultant corner that Pirates finally took the lead which their dominance deserved — Sibusiso Mazibuko swung in the ball and Phumudzo Manenzhe rose well to power home a header.

Stars started the second half on a better note as they held their own against their more illustrious opponents.

In the 60th minute they nearly equalised when Chansa spilt another cross into the box and the ball was spectacularly bicycle-kicked against the post.

With Stars looking as if they may still be able to get themselves back into the game, Stanley Kgatla did well to dispossess Mokoena inside the Stars box, before dwelling too long on the ball and allowing the pacy Bucs youngster to make a challenge.

The referee then adjudged Kgatla to have fouled Mokoena and awarded a penalty to the Sea Robbers, which Edelbert Dinha duly converted in the 76th minute.

Despite their two-goal advantage, Pirates continued to take the game to the 'Lions of the North' which stopped any hopes of the home side staging a comeback.