Saturday’s Kenya Cup action delivered interesting results. Mwamba RFC ended Lunch Bar Quins ten match winning streak, handing the defending champions a 16-13 defeat in a Kenya Cup fixture played at the St. Mary’s School.
The result could have handed second placed Menengai Oil Nakuru a life line as it makes for interesting reading atop the table as they registered a 28-5 bonus point win over visiting Mean Machine RFC at the Nakuru Athletic Club, a result that sees the Wanyore cut Quins lead to just four points with three matches left to play. Quins are on 55 points, Nakuru have 51 points.
Bill Githinji’s influence again told off as Homeboyz edged Nondies 14-13 at the Jamhuri Park, a result that sees Homeboyz move from ninth to eighth in the standings as they registered their third successive win since Githinji’s recent arrival at the club.
Starting the day in fourth place, Strathmore Leos ran off with the 42-0 result over visiting Kisumu RFC at the University of Nairobi grounds, a result that saw them go third in the standings, swapping places with KCB.
The featured match saw Impala RFC host KCB at the Impala Club. The visitors were first to put points on the board, going 3-0 up when Peter Mutai’s penalty sailed over the sticks following an Impala infringement.
KCB pressure Impala, pinning them in their twenty five as they dominated in the rucks and mauls. They were however caught out when Vincent Mose pounced after the KCB backs had failed to decisively deal with a high ball. Mose gathered the loose ball on the bounce, racing clear to touch down and convert his own try as Impala led 7-3.
Making inroads into Impala territory from the restart, KCB would go about their business, again shading possession and territory. A Mutai drop goal would narrow the deficit to 7-6 and the bankers would finally go 9-7 ahead when Mutai drilled home his second penalty after center referee Johnbosco Muamba penalized Impala scrum half Moses Kola for a high tackle on KCB lock Oliver Mang’eni.
KCB would look the more dangerous side, centers Fabian Olando and Brian Omondi constantly breaching the Impala gain line as their team mates simply couldn’t turn possession to points, let down by indecision and ball handling in the final quarter of the pitch.
The score would remain unchanged heading into the interval.
Second half saw the hosts emerge a revitalized side. Number eight Lawi Buyachi rising to prominence with his defense breaching runs.
With Impala mauling from another Buyachi break, Kola’s delivery to center Steve Oyaya drew out two KCB defenders as Oyaya unselfishly played in Mose who landed his brace, scoring in the right hand corner as Impala went 12-9 up.
KCB were still in the game, and retook the lead when Ian Indimuli touched down after his side’s patient build up that included six phases of play. Mutai missed the conversion.
At 14-12 there was all to play for, both sides were truly cognizant of this fact but it was Impala who looked ever threatening with little time left on the clock. Buyachi would make another foray, fending off his defenders with an offload to replacement forward Joel Omer who grounded at the left hand corner, handing Impala the 17-12 result.
The result saw Impala consolidate sixth position with 36 points. This loss for KCB all but brought their Kenya Cup title hopes to an end, as they slipped from third to fourth on 46 points, nine behind leaders Quins.
Kenya Cup Collated Results
Mwamba RFC (16) Lunch Bar Quins (13)
Menengai Oil Nakuru (28) Mean Machine RFC (5)
Impala RFC (17) KCB (14)
Strathmore Leos (42) Kisumu RFC (0)
Nondies (13) Homeboyz (14)
Nationwide
Mombasa RFC (7) USIU (5)
Universities League
Egerton (38) Kabarak (3)
Kimathi (0) Multimedia (7)
Kenya Poly(6) Blak Blad (34)
Catholic (20) Thika RFC (15)
About Michael Kwambo
