AmaZulu were deserved 2-1 winners against Orlando Pirates in their Absa Premiership clash at the Chatsworth Stadium on Wednesday night and will climb a few places after starting the day in 15th position.

Going into the fixture, Pirates would have been eager to put an end to back-to-back losses while AmaZulu would have been desperate for maximum points to pull away from the drop zone.

Both teams looked to claim the ascendancy in the first half, with AmaZulu strikers Bradley Ritson and Ayanda Dlamini in the thick of the action while Pirates wide men Bennett Chenene and Dikang Mabalane caused a few problems for their markers whenever in possession.

Dlamini should have opened the scoring in the first minute of play when he was located near the Pirates goal-line by a Sibusiso Hadebe cross, but he headed over the bar when it was harder to miss. In the seventh minute, Dlamini got his shot on target from a tight angle but Moeneeb Josephs in the Pirates goal parried the shot away to safety.

Ritson stunned the large contingent of Pirates supporters when he scored with a glancing header in the 26th minute. The striker rose unopposed to meet a Marc van Heerden set-piece.

Concerted pressure from the visitors shortly before the half-time whistle produced an equaliser from striker Katlego Mashego who stroked home a well weighted pass from Chenene from just outside the penalty area, with Nicolas Gindre in the Amazulu goals well beaten.

At the restart, Dlamini's misfiring continued. In the first minute of this stanza he hit the side netting after surging past his marker.

In the 51st minute Ritson came close to finding the back of the net, yet again, but on this occasion his powerful low drive produced an excellent save from Josephs.

AmaZulu were finally rewarded for the more composed showing in the second half when Dlamini cut into the Pirates danger area from the right flank after beating his marker and hit a thunderous shot which flew past Josephs.

In the closing minutes the home team were firmly in charge as a lethargic looking Pirates side were unable to press for an equaliser.