Eleazar Rodgers (Photo by Muzi Ntombela/Gallo Images/BackpagePix)

Ajax Cape Town kept their hopes of promotion to the Premiership alive with a thumping 5-1 victory over Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) at the Bidvest stadium on Wednesday.

Striker Eleazar Rodgers hit a hat-trick while Siphesihle Mkhize and Chumani Butsaka also found the back of the net for the Cape side as they surged to victory after going a goal down early in the match.

The win moves the Urban Warriors up to six points from three matches played in the promotion playoffs but they will need something in their final game against Black Leopards later this week.

The Urban Warriors’ victory on Wednesday was thanks to a scoring blitz that saw them score five goals in the first 15 minutes after the second half.

Thembisani Nevhulamba had given TTM the lead in the 11th minute and the Limpopo side held onto their narrow advantage until the half-time break.

Ajax coach Calvin Marlin must have given his charges a tongue lashing at the interval as they came out like men possessed after the break.

Mkhize scored the equaliser two minutes after the restart, poking home from a corner after TTM failed to clear their lines from a corner.

Rogers then struck twice in four minutes, first beating his marker and stabbing home a cross from Cohen Stander and then tapping into an empty net on the far post.

Ajax made it four on the hour mark when Chumani Butsaka struck a fierce effort that was too strong for TTM goalkeeper Tshepo Ramaele.

Rogers completed his hat-trick, and the scoring for the match, when he converted a penalty in the 65th minute after a handball in the box.

The Urban Warriors’ final game in the playoffs is against Black Leopards at the Rand stadium on Friday.

– TEAMtalk media