NATIONAL NEWS - Kaizer Chiefs stregthened their dominant advantage in the Premier League title race with a 1-0 victory over Chippa United at the Peter Mokaba Stadium that was more clear-cut than the score suggests.

With 40 points after an unbeaten run of 16 games, which have included 12 victories and four draws, The Amakhosi are now running away from all opposition as many of their rivals continue tio stumble and display up-and-down form.

Chiefs came within a whisker of opening the score in the 20th minute when a point-blank header from attacking defender Eric Mathoho bounced off Chippa goalkeeper Mbongeni Mzimela's leg before striking the post.

The winning goal in the 55th minute was a rare gem, with inter-passing among five Chiefs' players before Bernard Parker almost nonchalantly lobbed the ball into the roof of the net.

But decisive in the movement was the manner in which Mandla Masango feinted as though to shoot at goal, before catching the entire Chippa team on the wrong foot as he slipped a defence-splitting pass to Parker.

For all this, the game could have undergone an entirely different complexion had Chippa United been awarded what should have been a clear-cut penalty in the 31st minute, which the referee strangely did not give the Port Elizabeth side in spite of being ideally-placed to see the trip from behind in the area.

Parker's goal appeared to knock the stuffing out of a disappointed Chippa and for 20 minutes only the acrobatic antics of Mbongeni Mzimela in goal prevented Chiefs from increasing their lead.

Also, Kingston Nkhatha, the player Chiefs' supporters love to boo, missed two inviting opportunities and received his usual roasting from the crowd.

But, to the Port Elizabeth side's credit, they regained their resolution in the final 15 minutes and staged a spirit comeback in which strikers David Zulu and William Twala both threatened to produce an equaliser and Brilliant Khuzwayo in Chiefs goal was constantly kept busy.

In the end, however, Chippa continued their recent dip in results after a spectacular unbeaten run earlier in the season, in which they were unbeaten in five matches while securing victories over Orlando Pirates and Wits University and drawing with defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns, earning them a surprise second spot in the log table.

The defeat against Chiefs was Chippa's third loss in their last five matches and has left them struggling to maintain a key place among the leading eight team in the Premier League race.

Chiefs, in contrast, continued their consistent and methodical surge towards the PSL championship title, with the one mjor concern on the night an apparent serious injury to Willard Katsande, which resulted in the key midfielder being replaced by Ivan Bukenya midway through the opening period.