With Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates away on CAF duty at the weekend, many of the Absa Premiership title-chasers failed to take advantage by closing the gap.

It was only Bidvest Wits who managed to bounce back from their recent slump to get their first win in five games when they hammered Bloemfontein Celtic 4-2 at the Seisa Ramabodu Stadium.

This victory returned Wits to second spot on the standings, two points behind leaders Sundowns.

Cape Town City were unable to continue their run of form after they were held to a goalless draw by a nifty Polokwane City in the Mother City.

Fellow contenders Kaizer Chiefs and SuperSport United cancelled each other out after their 1-1 draw on Friday evening in Mbombela.

Despite the draw, Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp felt that the tough fixture schedule of their title rivals still gives them a chance.

"If we won [against United] the chance to get closer would have been bigger. But you know, Pirates still have to play Black Leopards and will not win easily and also still have to play Wits and Sundowns."

"Good. They play each other, let's wait and see. We look from game to game, so now the focus is on the cup game," Middendorp said.

At the bottom end of the table, Free State Stars climbed from 15th place to 13th with their 4-1 win over AmaZulu.

The attention in the domestic game now turns to the Nedbank Cup quarterfinals after this week's Fifa international week.

Amakhosi see the R7m cup as the big chance to end their drought. They face Cape Town City in Mbombela on March 31.