Orlando Pirates' amazing start to the Absa Premiership season continued at the Orlando Stadium on Wednesday night where they maintained their unbeaten record at the top of the league with a 1-0 win over Platinum Stars.

The 'Buccaneers' and goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs have now completed their first seven league matches without conceding a goal. And Stars never looked like damaging that record. Josephs who injured his finger in the 1-0 win at home over Mpumalanga Black Aces last Wednesday but was fit to play, was never tested by the powder puff Stars attack.

'Bucs' head the standings with 17 points followed by BidVest Wits and Bloemfontein Celtic with 13 points. Wits who play Bucs at the same venue on Saturday night defeated Moroka Swallows 2-0 while Celtic edged out Kaizer Chiefs 1-0 in their Wednesday matches to remain the only three unbeaten sides left in the league.

Pirates took the initiative from the kick-off and more than deserved their 1-0 lead at the interval.

Bucs midfield star Teko Modise and make shift Stars right but Modise managed to shake off his marker in the 12th minute and set up Josephy Kamwendo with the first chance on goal but the Malawian international midfielder fired past the post.

Pirates, roared on by the partisan 22 000 crowd, were unlucky not to have taken the lead in the 24th minute when striker Siphelele Mthembu headed a Kamwendo free kick against the Stars post.

Pirates came close again in the 31st minute to breaking the deadlock when Modise sent star winger Dikgang Mabalane free on the left flank. Mabalane left the Stars defenders in his wake and laid on a superb cross for Mthembu who missed from less than six metres.

Mabalane's pace left the Stars defence for dead in the busy opening period. Hopefully under fire Bafana Bafana coach Joel Santana was doing his homework and watched Mabalane who has done more than enough to warrant a call up to the national squad. But Santana is in a habit of picking certain players who sit on their club's bench for his squad these days.

Defender Lucas Thwala gave the home side the lead after 32 minutes when the over worked Stars defence failed to clear a Kamwendo cross which the wide awake Thwala latched onto and beat Stars keeper Wayne Sandilands with a fine strike.

The second half deteriorated into a scrappy affair. Stars Almiro Lobo headed over the 'Bucs' upright after a Thabiso Monareng free kick floated over the Pirates defence in the 54th minute.

Stars rarely threatened Josephs record. Substitute Bradley Grobler was wide when he collected a poor clearance in the 69th minute.

'Bucs' were on top but never under any pressure. 'Bucs' substitute Terror Fanteni's goal-bound shot in the referee's optional time was deflected for a corner as the home side tried to sew up the win late in the match But the second half became a big yawn with the best moment coming when referee Harry Lekitlane mercifully blew for full time.