NAIROBI, Kenya, January 16- Collins Injera’s two tries, a penalty and assist led 1984 Kenya Cup winners Mwamba RFC back to the top of the league table as they beat Kenya Commercial Bank 22-10 at the RFUEA Grounds over the weekend.
Mwamba, hosting this fixture at the RFUEA grounds owing to the unavailability of their new home venue, Nyayo National Stadium, came into this fixture lying second on the log with 15 points, two adrift of KCB.
They started with a spring in their step, taking the game to the bankers right from kick off, winning a penalty from a KCB infringement.
Opting for the line out, they would retain possession, mauling their way to the try line, only for the ball carrier to be held up on the line. The black shirts would pile the pressure on their visitors but failed to translate it into points.
KCB back row Phil Wamae would gather his fly half’s kick for touch, the bankers beginning to establish themselves as they entered Mwamba territory.
Losing possession in the ruck allowed Mwamba’s young lock Dan Sikuta the opportunity to engage on a searching run that was cut short by KCB flanker Leslie Mango’s crunching tackle.
With Mwamba retaining possession, KCB fullback Mathew Musita failed to competently deal with Injera’s raised ball, misjudging the bounce as center Dennis Ombachi gathered it, skipped past two tackles to touch down at the corner on 17 minutes, his third try of 2012 to put Mwamba 5-0 ahead.
Musita would again fail to deal with another raised Mwamba ball, as KCB lost all the momentum they had built prior to the try. They were now on the back foot, their hosts pinning them in their own 25.
Mwamba would lose Kevin Wambua to the sin bin but continued dominating a largely anonymous KCB side who failed to make the extra man count.
The rest of this half would remain a drawn out affair with Mwamba the dominant side deservedly going into the interval leading 5-0.
KCB would begin the second half the livelier of the two sides, winning a penalty off a Mwamba infringement but Fabian Olando’s 44th minute goal attempt sailed wide.
They maintained their attacking impetus and leveled the scores courtesy of a Sebastian Shivoka try at the end of a maul on nine minutes later.
Still on the ascendancy, they would lose possession allowing Injera the space to race past his markers to score close to the posts with Tito Oduk converting to give Mwamba a 12-5 lead.
The match would remain a close contest, KCB attacking but unable to breach the Mwamba try line.
When they did breach it, it was after an exchange of passes between Curtis Lilako and Brian Omondi who played in Wamae, his try at the corner on 61 minutes reducing the deficit to 12-10.
This set up an exciting final quarter, KCB dominating the proceedings before fading away.
They would concede a penalty that Injera drilled over, stretching Mwamba’s lead to 15-10 seven minutes later before Humphrey Kayange played in the Kenya Sevens flyer who scored under the posts, Oduk converting for the final 22-10 result.
The win sees Mwamba return to the top of the standings with 19. KCB dropped to third same as Nakuru RFC who moved to second with an inferior goal difference.
Nakuru RFC continued their rich vein of form that has seen them only lose once all season, beating reigning champions Kenya Harlequin FC 13-0 at the Nakuru Athletic Club.
Impala RFC registered their second successive win, a 59-3 result over visiting Kisumu RFC at the Impala Club. Nondies finally registered their first victory of the season, a 12-3 triumph over Mean Machine RFC at the Jamhuri Park.
In the rescheduled fixture played on Sunday morning at the RFUEA grounds, Strathmore returned to winning ways, registering a 17-6 win over Homeboyz RFC.
Collated Kenya Cup Results
Mwamba 22 KCB 10
Impala 59 Kisumu 3
Nondies 12 Machine 3
Nakuru 13 Quins 0
Strathmore 16 Homeboyz 6
