Moroka Swallows got back onto the winning trail with a hard fought 1-0 win over Platinum Stars in an Absa Premiership clash played at the Moruleng Stadium on Saturday night.

Stars were on top during a fast flowing first half. But it was the Birds who took the lead against the run of play thanks to a Shaun Haschick goal in the 22nd minute.

Luis Renteria shot wide of the Swallows goal in the third minute when he failed to control the ball. Stars kept attacking and a chance was wasted when nobody was inside the Birds goalmouth to slot home a defence splitting cross from Almiro Lobo in the 12th minute.

The Birds took the lead with a superb goal from Haschick who took advantage of poor defending to hammer home a great shot from inside the Stars penalty area to make it 1-0 in the 22nd minute.

Birds keeper Greg Etafia who had a shaky start gained in confidence when he pulled off a good save from Renteria in the 30th minute. The Nigerian keeper was called into action again in the 35th minute when he managed to palm away a good shot from Tshepo Ramokala.

Ramokala forced Etafia to make another telling save in the 42nd minute from a well directed free kick as Stars mounted the pressure looking for the equaliser.

Stars tried hard to raise the tempo of the game after the break but it was the Birds who came closest to increasing their lead.

The Birds created two chances in the second half, the first when Phumelele Bhengu headed a cross from Keegan Richie over the crossbar in the 59th minute. The second came in the 70th minute when Stars keeper Tapuwa Kapini pulled off a good save from a well hit shot from Davi Rankin.

Stars suffered a setback in the 84th minute when Ramokala was stretched off with a head injury in the 84th minute.

Stars' best chance to level the match came in injury time when Etafia pulled off a great save from Senamela.

Meanwhile, the Absa Premiership match between BIDVest Wits and SuperSport United was postponed following the failure of the floodlights at the BidVest Stadium.

The match will now be played on Sunday, 1 November aat the same venue at 3.30pm.