Polokwane City powered to an impressive 5-2 away victory against Free State Stars in an Absa Premiership clash at Charles Mopeli Stadium on Wednesday evening.

The early kick-off saw Rise and Shine’s strike pairing of Puleng Tlolane and Esau Kanyenda score a brace apiece, added to a free kick strike from Jabu Maluleke, while Ea Lla Koto’s Moeketsi Sekola netted two himself.

The teams traded scoring chances in the opening half hour, with Stars striker Richard Henyekane particularly lively.

However, the visitors claimed the opening goal in the 34th minute through Puleng Tlolane, who beat Ayanda Mtshali with a left-footed shot to make it 1-0 to Rise and Shine.

Yet their lead lasted just a minute, as Ea Lla Koto’s Moekesi Sekola continued his fine goal-scoring form in the 2014/15 season, providing a right-footed finish to make it 1-1.

Polokwane reclaimed the lead 13 minutes into the second half, with Esau Kanyenda heading home from a cross to make it 2-1.

That goal opened the floodgates and a further three strikes followed in the next seven minutes. First Jabu Maluleke made it 3-1 to Polokwane by scoring direct from a free kick in the 61st minute.

Two minutes later Kanyenda turned home a cross from Maxwell Molala to make it 4-1 and seemingly kill off the game as a contest.

Yet Stars were thrown a lifeline when Joseph Musonda brought down Bokang Thlone to hand the home side a penalty. Sekola netted from the spot kick in the 65th minute to reduce the deficit to 4-2.

Yet any hope the hosts had of a comeback was extinguished in the 88th minute when Tlolane scored his second, this time from the penalty spot, to wrap up the scoring at 5-2.

Free State Stars (1) 2 (Sekola 35’ 65’ pen)

Polokwane City (1) 5 (Tlolane 34’ 88’ pen, Kanyenda 58’ 63’, Maluleke 61’)

Teams:

Free State Stars: Mtshali, Cardoso, Sankara, Angula, Thlone (Venter 75’), Mashego, Mdluli (Bester 63’), Masehe, Mabunda (Abraw 84’), Sekola, Henyekane

Polokwane City: Marumo, Dladla (Mngqibisa 46’), Musonda, Mthumkhulu, Langa, Maluleka, Majafa (Jembula 61’), Molala, Alexander, Tlolane, Kanyenda (Dogere 75’)