A goal nine minutes from time by Brad Ritson earned struggling AmaZulu a hard earned 2-1 Absa Premiership win over a disappointing Wits at a wet and freezing Milpark Stadium on Friday night.

The defeat in the first match of the second round of the league has seriously dented the Students' hopes of challenging for honours.

After a good start to the season Wits appeared to have run out of steam or hunger for glory.

But it was a tremendous effort from Usuthu, and the win has taken a lot of pressure off under fire coach Neil Tovey who will at least be able to sleep more comfortably this weekend.

Both sides struggled to adapt to the wet, heavy and slippery pitch. The fact that there were no puddles showed the ground has a superb drainage system.

The Students had only one real shot in anger in an uninspiring opening 45 minutes when Patrick Phungwayo's shot was palmed away for a corner by Usuthu keeper Mbongeni Mzimela in the 13th minute.

It was the visitors who created the best two chances in the opening half, and on both occassions the shots were matched by brilliant goalkeeping from 19-year-old prodigy Darren Keet.

The Wits and SA Under-20 keeper pulled off a brave save in the 21st minute when he threw himself at a Ritson volley. Ritson did well to connect a Siphiwe Mkhonza cross from the left and let rip with a thunderous shot that Keet managed to block and divert for a corner.

Two minutes later Keet again did well to palm away Lita Ngxabi's long range shot for a corner.

Those three shots, however, were the only occasions either keeper was tested in the opening spell.

Wits snatched the lead in the 54th minute thanks to a magical run down the left wing by Phungwayo whose dangerous ball into the AmaZulu penalty area was spilt by Mzimela and Calvin Kadi made no mistake by hammering home his 10th goal of the season to put the Students 1-0 ahead.

Usuthu tried hard to get back into the game and came close when Sibusiso Hadebe hit the side netting in the 56th minute.

Wits' Brazilian midfielder Fabricio Rodrigues shaved the upright with a thunderous 20 metre drive in the 60th minute.

But to their credit Usuthu refused to wilt and were level in the 67th minute when Dumisani Ngwenya blasted home into the corner of the net from a goal mouth melee to make it 1-1.

Wits had only themselves to blame for allowing AmaZulu to equalise. The home side lost concentration and allowed the coastal strugglers back into the game.

AmaZulu, sensing blood, pushed forward and were rewarded in the 81st minute shortly after Keet did well to save Ritson's shot at the expense of a corner, the AmaZulu striker having capitalised on more poor defending.

The wide awake Ritson made no mistake when he hammered home the winner from the edge of the penalty area a minute later to send AmaZulu home with three vital away points.