A disappointing outing in Durban saw Stellenbosch FC suffer a 3-1 defeat to Royal Am at the Chatsworth Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

• Júnior Mendieta opened the scoring early on in the encounter, before Elias Pelembe leveled matters just four minutes later.

• Mthokozisi Dube gave Royal AM the lead on the stroke of half-time before Mokete Mogaila sealed the win in the second half.

• The result sees Stellies slip to 11th in the DStv Premiership standings with five matches left to play.

Following last weekend’s narrow defeat to Kaizer Chiefs, Steve Barker’s side made the perfect response in Durban where they opened the scoring in the opening fifteen minutes of Sunday’s DStv Premiership encounter against Royal AM.

Argentine midfielder Júnior Mendieta was the player who put his name on the scoresheet when he received a pass from Andre de Jong and curled home a right-footed effort beyond the reach of Royal AM ‘keeper Zakahle Ngcobo.

The lead lasted less than five minutes, however, as Elias Pelembe restored parity at the other end, before Mthokozisi Dube completed the turnaround for the hosts on the stroke of half-time following a passage of neat interplay with Tebogo Potsane.

Nhlanhla Mgaga was introduced at the start of the second stanza and had Stellies’ best chance of the half in the 75th minute when his driving effort from range drew a smart save from Ngcobo in the opposition goal.

It was the hosts who scored next, though, with Mokete Mogaila tapping home the match-winner after Maroons captain Lee Langeveldt failed to hold onto a powerful free-kick from Mfundo Thikazi moments before.

With the clocking ticking down, substitute Sinethemba Mngomezulu struck the upright and Stellies tucked the rebound home, only for the linesman’s flag to disallow the effort for offside and consign Barker’s side to a disappointing defeat in Durban.