In an afternoon where the Soweto Giants turned in a clinical performance away from home to come away with three important points, the new recruit featured on the scoresheet for the first time since joining the Club, with Patrick Maswanganyi, Relebohile Mofokeng, and Kabelo Dlamini also finding the net.

Mbatha’s 56th-minute strike came at a crucial moment in the game and helped create daylight between the two sides after the Buccaneers had managed to take a one-goal to the break, following a tightly contested opening half. Mainly tasked with the often unseen work in the engine room throughout his career, he showcased a different dimension to his game in providing the game’s second goal when he made an excellent surge into the box to collect a neat pass from Maswanganyi before producing a composed finish to double the advantage.

Reflecting on his landmark moment in an exclusive interview, the 24-year-old shared his delight in getting off the mark in Bucs colours.

“It was a great feeling,” Mbatha told OrlandoPiratesFC.com. “It is actually a dream come true scoring my first goal for Orlando Pirates. I must thank the team, the staff and the technical team for the opportunity and support that they give me every day.”

Mbatha’s first Pirates goal came in his 10th appearance in all competitions since his January loan move from SuperSport United, where he had featured five times during the first half of the season. He describes the start of his Bucs career as a big learning opportunity and has noted some improvements in his game.

Having been brought in to bolster an already stacked midfield, the player revealed that he embraces the challenge of having to fight for his place in the starting team.

“It’s good competition,” Mbatha said. “It’s a good challenge and helps me stay on my feet and try to improve all the time. I cannot afford to make many mistakes. So I think the competition that we have in the team is healthy. We should all just play our game and whoever gets the opportunity must use it.”

Following their triumph in Pietermaritzburg, the Buccaneers have a busy week ahead. They kick it off with a midweek Premiership assignment away to Cape Town City before voyaging along the coast for a stop in Gqeberha for a Nedbank Cup semifinal clash against Chippa United on the weekend.

Mbatha says the team’s immediate focus is the trip to the Mother City, where they will be looking to add three more points to their league tally.

“As the coach says, we take each game as it comes,” he said. “We take it one day at a time. I think we should prepare ourselves mentally and physically. It’s not going to be an easy game as we are playing away. If we do play the football we want and do what the coach tells us, we’ll definitely come back with the three points.”

Pirates’ game against City takes place on Wednesday, kicking off at 15:00.

The result stretches the Buccaneers’ winning run in the league to three matches, while they remain third in the standings with just five games left to play.

Coming up against KwaZulu-Natal opposition for a fourth game in as many weeks, the Soweto Giants were made to contend with a determined effort early on from the hosts, who were first to fire a shot at goal. It was a fifth-minute opportunity spurned by Sedwyn George, who made his way into the Bucs’ penalty area but could only send his shot off target from close range.

Pirates however controlled possession throughout most of the opening quarter, making regular entry into opposition territory. They had a chance of their own in the 12th minute when Patrick Maswanganyi latched onto a loose ball just outside the box before firing straight at Royal AM keeper Mondli Mpoto.

Thalente Mbatha followed this up with another long-range effort seven minutes later, but his shot did not trouble the Thwihli Thwahla shot-stopper as it landed well off target.

The chance for a breakthrough came just before the half-hour mark when the visitors were awarded a penalty after a foul on Maswanganyi. The Bucs midfielder dusted himself up to take the spot kick, making no mistake in finding the bottom corner despite Mpoto’s best efforts at keeping the ball out.

Thwihli Thwahla’s response was a spirited one as they immediately set about finding the equaliser, and a storming run from Khetukuthula Ndlovu nearly produced the goods when he cut inside from the left flank before dragging his shot wide.

Their best chance to draw level came on the stroke of halftime via a free kick taken by George on the edge of the penalty area. He was denied by a vital touch from Bucs keeper Melusi Buthelezi, who tipped the ball onto the crossbar to keep the visitors ahead at the break.

The tone of the contest changed in the second period with the Buccaneers looking more cohesive in attack.

They found the net 11 minutes after the restart when Maswanganyi threaded a lovely ball through the middle for Mbatha, who opened his Bucs account with a composed finish to make it 2-0.

A goalmouth scramble initiated by Thabiso Monyane just two minutes after the second goal nearly produced the third. This was when Mpoto parried the right back’s shot into the path of Tshegofatso Mabasa but the striker directed his effort off the rebound wide of the target.

Pirates’ next chance came off a wayward pass from Mpoto who scrambled back to make a save after his attempt at playing from the back was disrupted by Mbatha, with the midfielder showing excellent anticipation to make an interception.

They remained dominant throughout the second half and added to their goal tally in the 74th minute when Kabelo Dlamini located Relebohile Mofokeng in space, and the teenager produced a quality finish to set up an uphill climb for the home side.

With just eight minutes remaining on the clock, Dlamini got his name on the scoresheet in fine style as he found the top corner with a first-time shot from range to put the result well beyond doubt.

That turned out to be the last of the Buccaneers’ goals on a day when they produced a clinical performance to complete a league double over Thwihli Thwahla.

Pirates XI: Buthelezi, Xoki (Mthethwa 60’), Sesane, Lebitso (Monyane 17’), Maela, Makhaula, Mbatha, Saleng (Dlamini 60’), Mofokeng (Kimvuidi 87’), Maswanganyi (Kapinga 87’), Mabasa.