SuperSport United and Golden Arrows played to a 1-1 draw in their Absa Premiership match at the Super Stadium on Saturday evening.

SuperSport should have taken the lead as early as the third minute when a cross from Anthony Laffor found the head of Jabu Maluleke, but the former Black Leopards midfielder put his effort off target.

Maluleke had another crack at goal just a few minutes later but dragged his 20 yard shot wide.

Arrows? Richard Henyekane was on the end of his team?s first attacking movement but his long range effort didn?t trouble goalkeeper Emille Baron.

Midway through the first half, Laffor drove a powerful shot on target but it was straight into the arms of Thulasizwe Khuzwayo.

Daine Klate looked more than prepared to try his luck from distance, with the winger driving one shot wide of goal and forcing Khuzwayo to tip another over the crossbar.

Abafana Bes?thende coach Manqoba Mngqithi made a tactical substitution as early as the 37th minute, replacing striker Koffi Tanoh with fellow attacker Francis Kombe.

With few clear scoring opportunities, it was no surprise that the first 45 minutes came and went without either defence being breached.

Early in the second half Thabo Mongalo drilled a shot over the crossbar and Kombe did the same at the other end for the visitors.

On 55 minutes the deadlock was broken, with midfielder Ntlantla Zothwane scoring from 10 metres out with a low shot past Baron to out Arrows 1-0 up.

And the KwaZulu-Natal side very nearly made it two goals in two minutes when Kombe?s effort had to be tipped over the bar by United?s keeper.

SuperSport coach Gavin Hunt reacted to his team going behind by throwing on Mozambican striker Dario Monteiro in place of Brent Carelse just before the hour mark.

But instead of Monteiro getting the home team back in the game it was defender Bongani Khumalo who brought Matsatsantsa level with a headed goal in the 60th minute from Maluleke?s free kick.

Arrows almost themselves back in front on 66 minutes when an imaginative volley from Richard Henyekane flashed wide of goal after good set-up play from Zothwane.

SuperSport dominated the latter stages as they sought a winning goal. However, Khuzwayo was equal to efforts from both Maluleke and substitute Tebogo Langerman in the last ten minutes.

The result sees United in third place on the log, three points adrift of leaders Orlando Pirates. Arrows move up to seventh, though they have played one more game than any side in the top half of the table.

SuperSport: (4-5-1) Baron; September, Gould, Khumalo, Mahoa; Maluleke, Ntshumayelo, Mongalo (Umony 79?), Carelse (Monteiro 59?), Klate (Langerman 69?); Laffor

Arrows: (4-4-2) Khuzwayo; Mvalo, Sangweni, Masinga, Tom; Shange (Dos Santos 76?), Khuboni, Zothwane, J. Henyekane (Manqana 85?); Tanoh (Kombe 37?), R. Henyekane