Coming off the back of a four-match unbeaten run, the relegation-threatened Spurs looked on course to pick up another vital point but conceded in the 89th minute to lose at Athlone Stadium.

The result left Ernst Middendorp's side bottom of the league standings with 12 points, while Richards Bay are on 14 points in 15th place, and Chippa United in 14th have 23 points, after 21 games.

Swallows, meanwhile, who recorded their first win in their last 10 league outings, moved up to 13th with 24 points.

The Dube Birds were productive early on with both Augustine Mahlonoko and Jacob Everson forcing Spurs keeper Neil Boshoff into action as Siphesihle Maduna was denied by Daniel Akpeyi on the hour mark, as he made his first start of the season.

Rafiq De Goede thought he had broken the deadlock with a header just before the half-time interval but he directed his effort narrowly wide of the target.

Swallows were also the more dominant side at the start of the second period but without creating any clear-cut chances, before Mahlonoko was denied by Boshoff from close range on the hour mark.

Half-time Spurs substitute Luke Baartman may well have won it for his side with a strong header with 15 minutes of the match remaining but he too fired off target.

But Mhango made no mistake when he finished off a swift counter-attack with a well-hit strike to hand Swallows all three points.

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