Young KCB forward Ken Isindu emerged top try scorer and most promising player on a night when Impala RFC claimed their first Floodlit title since 2004 with a comprehensive 31-14 win over Kenya Commercial Bank RFC.
The Gazelles signaled their intent right from kick off, taking the game to KCB who ably dealt with the challenge thrown their way.
The Lions from KCB soon took control of the game, dominating in the forwards and were rewarded on nine minutes when their mercurial scrum half Peter Mutai scored the game’s opening try . His brother Edwin Kiprono was sure with the conversion to take the scores to 7-0 for KCB.
Impala were stung by this and gave their response to the Lions but they had to contend with their solid defence. KCB continued to dominate in the forwards but were unable to turn their dominance into points, something that they would rue later on in the match. Innocent Simiyu was a constant threat to KCB and indeed his fourty yard sprint led to an infringement from KCB. Nato Simiyu scored the resultant penalty kick to reduce the deficit to 7-3.
KCB’s response was swift, their attack led to an Impala infringement. Kiprono’s penalty bounced off the upright as the scores stayed at 7-3.
Impala continued to cause KCB problems and they missed an opportunity to go ahead when their backs conspired to knock the ball with the try line in sight. They however kept up the pressure and were awarded a penalty after another KCB infringement. Felix Makori scored to reduce the deficit to 7-6.
Kiprono missed another penalty for KCB as they went into the break leading 7-6.
Impala’s Bill Githinji gave his team a pep talk at half time that spurred them into a second half resurgence. Makori scored immediately after the restart to signal an Impala comeback. They led for the good, 11-7.
Buoyed by this try, the Gazelles camped in the Lions half, their early pressure paying dividends when they forced KCB into another error. Makori was sure with his penalty to give Impala a 14-7 lead. Makori touched down again on fourty seven minutes but missed his conversion. Impala 19-7.
Vincent Mose, playing for Impala,soon broke through the KCB defence but was thwarted by Benjamin Otieno’s crunching tackle. Bryan Omondi of KCB was sin binned on fifty five minutes and his team mate Anthony Ochino soon followed him to the cooler. Impala took advantage of their numerical superiority to score another try through Vincent Mose on sixty minutes. Moses Kola’s conversion bounced off the posts as the red shirts led 24-7.
Simiyu crowned his evening with a try on sixty five minutes. Kola converted to extend Impala’s lead to 31-7. Kenya Under 20 international and tournament top try scorer Ken Isindu scored a try for KCB late in the game.Kiprono converted, bringing the scores to 31-14.
It was double joy for Impala whose under 20 side became the inaugural winners of the Floodlit under 20 tournament with a 29-14 win over H2O Mwamba.
Action now shifts to the Great Rift Tens in Nakuru from 30th May 2009.
1 comment:
I wish to commend the Lions for putting up a spirited performance. It is quite unfortunate that we did not mak use of our early dominance in the first half. Of coz the two yellow cards put paid to our efforts at coming back -
Well done boys and the Technical Bench
May I state that the team is improving and we should be ready for a crunching battle for Kenya Cup. Judging from where we were a few weeks back, we have made some tremendous progress.
Of coz we have a few weaknesses, but the TB should be equal to the task. I also hope that the few injured players recover in time -
I wish them the quickest of recoveries.
Chairman
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