NAIROBI, Kenya, August 13- Gor Mahia needed an added time goal to share the spoils 1-1 with a battling Sher Karuturi at their City Stadium fortress.
The result, which came at a wet City Stadium as showers pounded Nairobi for the better part of Saturday afternoon meant that K’Ogalo remain unbeaten in 12 matches but the two dropped points saw them fail to join leaders Tusker FC at the Kenyan Premier League summit on 37 points.
Collins Okoth came of the bench to rescue a point for Gor in the 96th minute after he concocted his body to meet a Demonde Selenga cross after Titus Wamalwa had put the Naivasha based side in front in the 63rd.
Okoth’s well executed volley send K’Ogalo’s Green Army, who until that time were staring at imminent defeat, into raptures as they poured out of their caldron in song and dance.
Playing on a wet Astroturf pitch made ball control a difficult preposition for both sides but the home side came off the blocks more intent on seizing the three points after their first leg in Naivasha also ended 1-1.
But Karuturi, who stretched their unbeaten run to six, had the first real sniff at goal when Peter Juma shot over after being set up by Abdul Yusuf with half an hour gone.
After the breather, Selenga wasted Gor’s best opportunity when he failed to react fast to Kevin Omondi’s through ball as Noah Ayuko in the Karuturi goal foiled the attack.
As Gor went up in search for the opener, Dan Makori the next to miss with a volley, Karuturi took the lead when their goalkeeper, Jerim Onyango made a hush of collecting a Juma freekick.
The national team custodian who has been in the backbone of Gor’s resolute defence watched in horror as Wamalwa tucked in the rebound to sent the cold Gor fans to despair.
Collins Omondi then came to the rescue when he made a last ditch clearance to keep Allan Otindo from piling more misery on Gor as the flower men piled forward in a rapid breakaway raid 13 minutes from time.
When the board for added time went up, signalling five minutes, Karuturi engaged in park-the-bus in front of goal as Gor went hammer and tongs to secure the equaliser.
Four minutes into extra time, Tom Onyango was sent off for Karuturi after collecting his second yellow and two minutes later, K’Ogalo fans went up in frenzied rancour as their side finally snatched a point from the jaws of defeat.
Elsewhere, Saturday KPL action saw Chemelil Sugar pile more relagation woe on City Stars after sinking them 2-0 at the Hope Centre in Kawangware for their fourth win in five matches.
Victor Ochieng and Daniel Mutai made all the difference.
In Mombasa, the Coast derby went the way of Bandari who beat their neighbours Congo United 3-2 in a see-saw game where Abdulwahab Musa was the hero with a brace for the winners.
Kevin Ngugi pulled one back before Eric Ochieng extended the portsiders two goal advantage.
Allan Omondi scored Congo’s second to ensure a nervy ending to the match but Bandari held on to earn the bragging rights and more importantly, lift themselves off the bottom at the expense of City Stars.