Chippa United marked their return to top flight action in East London when they rallied from an early setback to beat Ajax 3-1 at a packed Buffalo City Stadium on Sunday.

Prince Nxumalo put the Cape side in front right at the start of the game, but goals from David Zulu, Joseph Molangoane and Xola Mlambo secured victory.

Ajax were in front with only a minute on the clock as Nxumalo rose well to head in a Riyaad Norodien corner.

Nxumalo could have had a second on eight minutes, but he allowed the ball to strike his arm rather than heading the ball into the net, following a teasing cross by Franklin Cale.

From that point onwards however, the hosts began to come back into the game, playing some fluent football through midfield, although apart from an Eric Chipeta free kick saved by Anssi Jaakkola, Chippa failed to threaten the Urban Warriors’ goal.

Ajax meanwhile were happy to play on the counter, and came close in the 19th minute when Norodien’s attempted chip from range nearly caught out keeper Daniel Akpeyi after he had strayed from his line, Norodien then also blasting an attempted volley over the cross-bar after he had been played in by Abel Mabaso’s route one ball.

There was another chance on the break for the team from the Mother City, but Cale’s parting shot was struck straight at Akpeyi after being clean through on goal five minutes ahead of the interval.

The Chilli Boys began the second half with a huge amount of purpose, and were very unlucky not to level the score on 50 minutes when Molangoane left his marker for dead, picking out David Zulu in the box, the striker turning sharply only to slam his shot into the upright.

But five minutes later the pair combined for a well-taken goal, Molangoane threading Zulu in to the box, the marksman doing brilliantly to beat a defender before squeezing in a shot from a tight angle, 1-1 on 55 minutes.

The Ajax rearguard were at sixes and sevens by now, and Molangoane took advantage as he stormed into the box from the right flank, beating Jaakkola at the near post with a low finish on the hour mark.

Nxumalo was unlucky not to make it 2-2 on 66 minutes when he fired a volley across the goal from out on the right, his effort thudding into the left hand upright, Zulu then testing Jaakkola from close range on 70 minutes after again doing well to make space in the box.

Ajax had a couple of opportunities to score in the closing 15 minutes, but instead it was Xola Mlambo who added a third goal for the Chilli Boys with a superbly taken chip over Jaakkola deep in added time.

Chippa United (0) 3 (Zulu 55’, Molangoane 61’, Mlambo 95’)

Chippa United: Akpeyi, Thopola, Okwousa, Chipeta, Mthiyane, Sali, Zuke, Sangweni, Mbenyane (Mlambo 46’), Manzine (Zulu 36’), Molangoane (Uzochukwu 80’)

Ajax: Jaakkola, Mabaso, Lartey, Coetzee, Ncube, Graham, Norodien (Eksteen 75’), Losper (Paulse 66’), Nxumalo, Isaacs, Cale (Mzwakali 56’)