NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 15 – A penalty kick in the last stages earned Kenyatta University’s Blak Blad a famous 17-16 win over pre-game favourites Menengai Oilers in a scintillating Kenya Cup tie at the former’s Kenyatta University grounds.
Oilers, losing finalists of last season’s Kenya Cup, drew first blood through a Davis Nyaundi try, racing to a 10-0 lead thanks to Tony Oketch’s subsequent conversion and a penalty kick soon after.
However, the students were not to be cowed at their home ground as Andy Gathua, Kevin Karue and Lionel Ekesa each scored a penalty to reduce the deficit to 10-9.
Oketch’s penalty after the resumption put the Oilers further ahead 13-9 but his namesake on the opposite side – John Oketch – scored a try, which set Blak Blad 14-13, in front for the first time.
Subsequent penalty goals from both sides saw the students pull off an impressive win, which leaves the Oilers in second place on the log with 25 points – five adrift of leaders Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB).
In Lurambi, Kenya Harlequins continued their resurrection in the new year with a 21-11 win over Masinde Muliro University.
Quins, who signed close to 10 players during the mid-season transfer window, began the year with a massive 45-15 win over Catholic University monks, last weekend.
In Nakuru, defending champions Kabras Sugar bagged all the bragging rights from the Rai Derby after a 42-0 walloping of Nakuru.
Homeboyz thrashed University of Nairobi Mean Machine 31-7 at the Jamhuri Grounds as Strathmore Leos recovered from last weekend’s loss to Mwamba to defeat Monks 35-15 at the Strathmore University Sports Complex.
At the same venue, KCB thrashed Mwamba 82-10 in an early kickoff tie.
