Golden Arrows captain Kagisho Dikgacoi scored a goal midway through the first half to earn Golden Arrows a 1-0 victory over Orlando Pirates in the Absa Premiership at King Zwelithini Stadium on Saturday.

The Bafana Bafana midfield anchorman, who returned last week from a trial at English Premiership club Fulham, scored the only goal of the match in the 22nd minute.

Arrows, who led 1-0 at the break, were well on top in the first half. They were the more positive and aggressive side. Pirates were a big disappointment. They did not have a single shot on target in the opening 45 minutes.

Arrows goalkeeper Brenden Wardle had little to do against a Pirates attack that lacked punch and imagination.

Their best effort in the first half came form a 20-metre rocket from Teko Modise that flew over the crossbar in the 39th minute.

Pirates' passing was sloppy and new coach Ruud Krol will have to go back to the drawing board and sort out his players if they are to compete for honours this season.

'Bucs' skipper Lehlohonolo Seema almost scored a spectacular own goal in the 21st minute after a bad misunderstanding and lack of communication with his goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs.

The Lesotho international played a free kick back to Josephs who was not ready and the new 'Bucs' keeper was forced to sprint and boot the ball off his goalline.

A minute later Joseph did well to save from Philani Shange at the expense of a corner, but from the set piece taken by Richard Henyekane, Dikgacoi was given a free header and made no mistake to put the home side 1-0 ahead.

But if Wardle had an easy first half, he was into the thick of the action at the start of the second 45 minutes when he brilliantly denied Benson Mhlongo an equaliser with a one handed save after a pin point Modise free kick found the tall Mhlongo lurking at the far post.

Another mistake from Seema in the 48th minute allowed Arrows' Italo dos Santos to break clear but the Brazilian shot wide when he had the Bucs' goal at his mercy.

Pirates were awarded a penalty in the 66th minute but Dikgacoi shot which was well saved by Josephs from that resultant penalty.

Referee Abdul Ibrahim ruled that 'Bucs' Lindokuhle Mkhwanazi had brought down Dos Santos inside the Pirates penalty area.

The Arrows skipper hit his shot firmly but Josephs did his best to put the Arrows skipper off his shot and then guessed right and blocked the shot that would have sealed the Arrows win.

Bucs piled on the pressure and it took a brilliant match winning save from Wardle to deny Excellent Walaza with an equaliser from a powerful header 11 minutes from time.

Arrows never allowed Bucs to dominate and take control. It was not Pirates' day as Mhlongo missed a chance to snatch an equaliser late into injury time.