Warriors stay on course for play-offs
What you need to know:
- Butali won 3-2 away to Nakuru Hockey Club for their fourth straight win.
- The 2013 champions Police were in fine form, beating Parkroad Badgers 4-0 at City Park Stadium.
- In the women’s Premier league, Strathmore University Scorpions moved level with league leaders Telkom Orange.
- Sikh Union Nairobi are also in the running for a playoff spot after they came from behind to beat Kenyatta University Vultures 2-1.
Champions Butali Sugar Warriors and Kenya Police picked up vital wins in their Kenya Hockey Union men’s Premier League matches at the weekend to stay on course to qualify for the play-offs.
Butali won 3-2 away to Nakuru Hockey Club for their fourth straight win while 2013 champions Police were in fine form, beating Parkroad Badgers 4-0 at City Park Stadium.
In the women’s Premier league, Strathmore University Scorpions moved level with league leaders Telkom Orange and second-placed Amira Sailors both of whom are on seven points after a laboured 1-0 win over Vikings.
Butali’s win at Menengai High School grounds saw them move to 12 points in Pool ‘A’, five clear of second-placed Strathmore University Gladiators who beat USIU 2-0 to rise to second.
With three more matches left to play, Butali will need two more wins to confirm their place in the playoffs.
UNIVERSITY DERBY
The top two teams in the pool qualify for the end of season playoffs. Butali captain Kenneth Nyongesa has urged teammates to maintain the momentum.
“Our ambition of retaining the title is very much alive. We are focused on winning all our remaining matches to head into the playoffs full of confidence,” he said on Monday. USIU dropped one place to third after they lost to rivals Strathmore in the university derby. Clayson Luvanda and Constant Wakhura were on target for Strathmore in the pulsating encounter.
Sikh Union Nairobi are also in the running for a playoff spot after they came from behind to beat Kenyatta University Vultures 2-1. The win keeps the 2012 champions in fourth place on six points while Parklands are fifth on five.
In Pool ‘B’, Kenya Police went top of the table after a first half demolition of the Badgers saw. The cops top with seven points but the following three teams are all on seven points and have each played three games, one less than the law enforcers. KCA-U, Greensharks and Chase Sailors follow in that order.
In the women’s league, the Scorpions kept their title hopes alive thanks to Judy Apondi’s strike that finally broke Vikings’ resistance in a tough encounter. The win moved the university side to third place with seven points, behind leaders Orange and second placed Amira Sailors who are all on seven points.
