BidVest Wits registered a hard fought 4-2 win over Mamelodi Sundowns in an Absa Premiership match played at BidVest Stadium on Wednesday night.

The game got off to a flying start with the two teams threatening to score an early goal, and it came as no surprise when Katlego Mphela profited from Elias Pelembe's cross to put his side on the driving seat with a diving header in the sixth minute.

Sundowns, who had Mphela spearheading their attack, had one too many opportunities in the early stages and could have gone to the break with more than three goals if not for their poor finishing.

However, Wits did not rest on their laurels and wait for a miracle to happen. The 'Students' were also businesslike as they made sporadic attempts at the 'Brazilians' goalmouth and Tefu Mashamaite could only watch in disbelief when his header went inches wide in the 20th minute.

The miss seemed to have ignited the home team as they piled pressure on the 'Brazilians' defence and their efforts were nearly rewarded in the 30th minute but Mark Haskins would have thought that the Gods had turned their backs against him as his well taken shot went wide.

Mesmeric runs by Sifiso Myeni on the left flank gave Siboniso Gaxa considerable concern, and the latter was replaced by Vuyo Mere in the 46th minute.

But it was the home side that scored an equaliser when Haskins out-jumped the Sundowns defence to head a well taken free kick by Myeni.

However their joy was short-lived when Mphela, scored his second for the day after a rebound to put his team in front for the second time.

There was drama in the 70th minute when Wits' top goal-scorer, Calvin Kadi, used his hand to score what could have been their second goal, and in the interim he was booked by the referee and the goal did not count.

Nevertheless, Wits' captain, Mashamaite, led by example when he twice out-jumped the Sundowns keeper, Calvin Marlin to score two beautiful headers in the 73rd and 74th minutes to put his side in the lead for the first time.

In the 86th minute, Wits were awarded a free kick outside the penalty area, and from that resultant free kick substitute Fabricio Rodrigues hit the ball with so much power that he left Sundowns? keeper Carlvin Marlin with the formality of picking up the ball out the back of the net.

Speaking after the game, coach Roger de Sa said, he was very impressed by his charges: "It was a great come-back considering that we came back twice to clinch the victory."

The teams:

BidVest Wits (4-3-3): Keet; Barkhuizen (Shabalala 74), Gariseb, Mashamaite, Phungwayo; Vilikazi (Rodrigues 63), Morton, Haskins; Myeni, Kadi, Chikwaikwai (Sibande 90).

Mamelodi Sundowns (4-4-2): Marlin; Gaxa (Mere 46), Xulu, Spencer, Mdledle; Lentjies, Zothwane (Katongo 64), Nyandoro, Pattison (Ncaca 79); Pelembe, Mphela.