Swallows coach Ian Gorowa saw his side lose their unbeaten home record in the Premiership to the same team that handed them a 2-1 defeat in the semifinals of the SAA Supa8 earlier this season.
The visitors won all three points and claimed their first away win in the league thanks to goals from Daine Klate and Katlego Mashego. Sandile Ndlovu pulled one back for Swallows late on to set up a tense finish but Hunt’s team held out for a deserved victory.
Swallows threatened early, as Edzai Kasinauyo picked out Alton Meiring with a fine cross in the ninth minute, but the former Golden Arrows striker glanced his header wide of Andre Arendse’s goal.
Supersport winger Daine Klate opened the scoring just past the quarter-hour mark, latching onto Shane Poggenpoel’s deft chip over Patrick Mabedi before striking a dipping volley into Aubrey Mathibe’s top left corner.
Ethiopian striker Fikru Tefera wasted a good chance for United midway through the first half, allowing Mathibe to make a comfortable save when he really should have doubled the visitors’ lead.
James Chamanga came within inches of bringing Swallows back on level terms just a couple of minutes later, turning in the penalty area before shooting across the face of goal and striking the post.
Meiring brought the best out of Arendse just before half time with a sweetly-hit free kick that seemed destined for the back of the net before the United ‘keeper acrobatically palmed it over the crossbar for a corner.
Sibusiso Mahlangu missed a glorious chance to double Supersport’s lead six minutes after the break, awkwardly trying to convert Denis Masina’s cross at the back post with his left foot rather than simply heading the ball home from close range, with Mathibe left stranded.
Substitute Katlego Mashego, on as a half time replacement for Tefera, was far more ruthless than his teammate, striking a shot into the bottom corner of the Birds’ net to put Supersport 2-0 up just a few minutes before the hour mark.
An almighty downpour with just 16 minutes to play forced the players from the field and gave Swallows hope of the match possibly being abandoned, but the officials deemed the pitch suitable for play once the storm had passed.
Almost immediately after the restart the Birds gave themselves hope of a remarkable comeback, with Sandile Ndlovu catching the Supersport defence napping to halve the deficit, but United held on to claim their third successive victory in the Absa Premiership.
