JOMO Cosmos vowed to bounce back yesterday after the 4-0 pasting they received from Orlando Pirates in their Absa Premiership encounter at the weekend, saying it was a lesson well learnt.

Ezenkosi boss and coach Matsilele "Jomo" Sono was still getting to grips with the humiliation inflicted by his former team in their first game back home at Orlando Stadium on Saturday.

"We got into the game with a plan and wanted to keep possession. But inexperience showed as within the first 10 minutes my boys were running helter-skelter.

"After the first goal, I thought we were still in the game but the second goal was a killer. Pirates took all their chances well and it could have been more, six or seven. There was a lesson to be learnt there and we did.

"It is better to receive such a drubbing as early as we did rather than with two games remaining to the end of the season. We are going to come back stronger as we have seen the other teams and how they play. We will be okay," Sono said.

He praised Pirates for "taking their chances well" and believes the Buccaneers are clearly the favourites for the league championship.

"They bought wisely and have players that add value. And their goals came from half-chances, which we could do nothing about," Sono said.

He also believes the occasion could have gotten to his players, mentioning the inexperience of defenders Tshepo Moloto and Thapelo Tshilo.

Even veteran Lucky Mhlathe seemed overawed and was replaced by Larry Cohen. Cosmos play Free State Stars at the Rand Stadium on September 12 and Sono expects Thabiso Hlalele and defender Osman Berthe back. He is looking at signing two more players, one from Swaziland and one from Mali.