Orlando Pirates trample tardy TTM in Thohoyandou

Orlando Pirates were clinical without having to raise much of a sweat dispatching of a disjointed Tshakuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) 3-0 in Wednesday evening's DStv Premiership match-up at Thohoyandou Stadium.

Deon Hotto in the 16th‚ Gabadinho Mhango in the 39th and Fortune Makaringe in the 64th notched the goals for Pirates.

It's hard to define exactly what is most troubling about TTM. It has to be compartmentalised.

The fact that the club was bought‚ seemingly because previous owning company Bidvest just did not care any more‚ at a basement price‚ ending the competitive 99-year history of Wits University/Bidvest Wits‚ is troubling.

That TTM started with the organisational levels to put together a squad of only 14 players in their first match‚ have since had issues paying players‚ and reports continue to swirl of the club's sale less than six months after Wits was bought‚ is also troubling.

So is the fact that the Premier Soccer League (PSL) ultimately approved such a mess.

Perhaps‚ though‚ it is simply TTM's amateur-looking red and white 1990s-style kit that harkens as a throwback to First Division teams from the old coastal and inland stream days that is most troubling.

Masutha's team did not look a whole lot better in structure and gameplan in the first half.

That Pirates allowed them to hit the woodwork twice in the first half‚ albeit once from an offside position‚ was more to Bucs' back four allowing themselves to be caught square too often at earlier stages in the game.

That Bucs were 2-0 up by the break was testament to a good work rate and tempo‚ and Pirates capitalising on unconvincing defending.

The Buccaneers almost seemed to have been denied their opener.

Vincent Pule stole the ball off Meshack Maphangule‚ with his back to goal just outside his box and unaware who was at his back‚ and burst in‚ squaring to Hotto.

With goalkeeper Washington Arubi stranded‚ the Namibian's first strike was into the chest of Tebogo Thangwane on the line‚ Hotto calmly picking his spot with his second attempt.

Maphangule's chip-over found ex-Buc Thabo Rakhale to lift a lob over Wayne Sandilands and onto the crossbar for TTM's best chance.

Bucs made it 2-0 past a static TTM defence as Pule's flick-on found Thembinkosi Lorch on the left‚ who fed Mhango's run through and the Malawian finished low past Arubi.

With Bucs not at their flowing best‚ but in the mood for goals‚ it was no surprise that more came.

Mhango easily beat players on the left and fed Lorch‚ who fed Makaringe to strike in from the edge of the D-line.