Will Gladiators shake off title hangover against Police?

Five months ago, Strathmore University Gladiators coach Meshack Senge masterminded a 3-2 penalty shout-out semi-final win against Kenya Police en-route to winning their third Kenya Hockey Union men’s Premier League title.

The two teams clash again on Sunday at the City Park Stadium in a crunch league encounter albeit in contrasting circumstances.

Will the champions shake off the hangover this weekend?

While Kenya Police have won their opening nine matches of the season to establish a seven point-lead at the top of the standings, the champions are struggling to replicate last season’s title winning form.

Strathmore have just won one of their seven matches this season and lie in eighth place, a massive 19 points behind Police. Their only win was a 2-0 victory over Sikh Union in the opening week of the league.

Coach Senge faces a huge task in trying to restore his team’s confidence which seems to have waned off.

“The pressure is definitely on us because we are the defending champions. We need a good result this weekend to get back our groove and I hope the lads can deliver it,” Senge said.

The students lost two of their key players, Constant Wakhura and Derrick Kukoba, to Butali Sugar Warriors this season and appear to badly miss their influence.

“We need to stand up and show our championship mentality this weekend. We cannot afford another slip up,” Senge added. Prior to the Police showdown, the students take on fourth-placed Wazalendo Saturday afternoon.

While Strathmore are stuttering, everything seems to be going according to plan for Kenya Police. A win against the students will see them equal Butali’s record of 10 straight wins set during the 2015/16 season.

Based on their current form, the 2013 champions are favourites to equal Butali’s record. However, Police stand-in coach Patrick Mugambi insists Strathmore’s poor form will count for nothing Sunday.

“They have not had the best start to the season but still have quality players and it would be a mistake to underestimate them. We are focused on our team,” Mugambi warned.

The tactician is likely to stick with the side that beat Sikh Union 3-1 last Sunday meaning a three-prong attack consisting of Amos Barkibirir, captain Oliver Echenje and Calvins Kanu.

Barkibirir is the club’s top scorer with six goals and his goal poaching skills will be needed especially in the absence of talismanic striker Moses Cheplaiti, who is still out with a knee injury.

In other matches, Butali will be away to Nakuru Athletic Club tomorrow as they seek to overhaul Greensharks from second place as bottom-placed Technical University of Kenya (TUK) tackle Parkroad Badgers.

FIXTURES (All matches at City Park stadium unless stated)

Saturday

Premier Men: TUK v Parkroad Badgers – 12pm, Wazalendo v Strathmore- 2pm

Premier Women: UON v MSC- 4pm

National Men: Kabarak University v Multimedia University – 2pm (Kabarak)

Sunday

Premier Women: Multimedia v MSC- 9am, KU Titans v Vikings – 11am, USIU v JKUAT- 5pm

Premier Men: Nakuru v Butali – 9am (Nakuru), Strathmore v Kenya Police – 1pm, USIU v Wazalendo- 3pm