Orlando Pirates reclaimed the Betway Premiership's top spot in style as they recorded a commanding 6-0 victory over TS Galaxy at the Mbombela Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The Buccaneers will be looking to maintain their lead at the top when the league resumes, as second-placed Mamelodi Sundowns are just one point behind with a game in hand. Abdeslam Ouaddou's side will play host to Golden Arrows on April 7 as domestic football resumes after the Fifa international break.

The Rockets, on the other hand, slipped down to the 11th spot after extending their winless run to seven matches in the league. Coach Adnan Beganovic will be under pressure to change the team's fortunes after the Fifa break, as the Rockets are scheduled to take on Milford FC in the Nedbank Cup on April 5.

The Buccaneers exploited space behind the Rockets' defence in the opening exchanges, which saw the hosts being reduced to 10 men as early as the fourth minute when Oupa Motaung was sent off for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity. Relebohile Mofokeng then scored with a superb free-kick to give the Pirates a 1-0 lead, registering his sixth goal of the term.

Pirates doubled their lead in the 41st minute when Deon Hotto's corner found Tshepang Moremi, who fired in a hard, low shot to make it 2-0 and take his season tally to 11 goals. The pressure told just before halftime as Rockets captain Mlungisi Mbunjana fired the ball into his own net in the 44th minute, handing Pirates a commanding 3-0 advantage at the break.

After the restart, a hungry Soweto giants struck again as substitute Oswin Appollis teed up Mofokeng, who completed his brace with a clinical finish to make it 4-0 in the 53rd minute. Kamogelo Sebelebele then haunted his former employers when he netted his fourth goal of the term to extend Pirates' lead to 5-0 in the 64th minute, with Masindi Nemtajela providing the assist.

Ouaddou's side were running riot as eventual Man of the Match Mofokeng grabbed his first career hat-trick to make it 6-0 to Pirates with 21 minutes left on the clock, with Appollis providing his second assist of the game. The goal sealed one of Pirates' biggest victories in the PSL era and it is also Galaxy's worst defeat in the club's history.

Galaxy 0

Pirates (3) 6 (Mofokeng 6', 53', 69', Moremi 41', Mbunjana 44', Sebelebele 64')

Galaxy: Ira, Motaung, Mahlangu, Silva, Letsoenyo (Dlamini 60'), Mbunjana (Maduna 46'), Kakora, Mvelase (Mgaga 60'), Mahlambi, George (Ngwenya 46'), Zindoga (Keita 90').

Pirates: Chaine, Sibisi (Chabatsane 71'), Seema, Hotto, Sebelebele, Nemtajela (Makhaula 84'), Mbatha (Mbule 71'), Mofokeng, Moremi (Maswanganyi 71'), De Jong (Appollis 46'), Mbuthuma.