Charging Strathmore Gladiators go flat out for win

Two-time champions Strathmore University Gladiators will be out to collect six points from their two Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) men’s premier league matches this weekend.

The students welcome Western Jaguars Saturday evening at City Park Stadium before hosting Nakuru Hockey Club at the same venue on Sunday.

Victory in both matches will see the Gladiators move from their current sixth position to fourth on the log with 39 points. Seven other matches are lined up this weekend in Nairobi and Kisumu as the second leg gathers momentum.

Gladiators lost 2-1 to champions Butali Sugar Warriors last weekend and will seek to bounce back from that loss against Jaguars - who are 12th in the league with 24 points. The students have blown hot and cold this season having topped the league during the first leg before a string of inconsistent outings saw them drop to their current position.

Gladiators coach Meshack Senge has called on his lads to rediscover their first leg form and finish the season strongly.

“Our target at the beginning of the season was to finish in the top two positions,” Senge told Saturday Nation Sport.

“We will keep fighting until the end of the season but we need to start getting good results.”

Western Jaguars coach Michael Malungu is confident his team can upset the hosts and also edge out 2012 champions Sikh Union Nairobi in tomorrow’s encounter.

“We are coming to Nairobi to collect all six points,” he warned.

“The boys are fired up this weekend and we respect our opponents but our aim is to win convincingly.”

The first leg encounter played in Kakamega last year ended in a goalless draw.

In the relegation battle, Coastal side Mvita XI, who are second from bottom, have two vital fixtures in their fight to avoid the drop. They take on Nakuru Hockey Club Saturday afternoon at City Park before tackling Parkroad on Sunday.

Mvita failed to honour their last two fixtures against USIU and Butali two weeks ago due to lack of funds. The team has nine points from 19 matches, six more than bottom side Mombasa Sports Club.

Parklands, who are in third from bottom, will seek to move further away from the relegation zone with a win against seventh-placed Parkroad in another men’s premier league match this afternoon at City Park.

The league debutants lie in 13th place with 14 points, five ahead of Mvita XI as the fight to stay up gears on.

In Kisumu, Bay Club host Dedan Kimathi University in a men’s national league encounter this afternoon, while tomorrow, the visitors will be up against Kisumu Youngstars.

FIXTURES (All Matches at City Park Stadium unless stated)

Saturday

Premier men: Parklands v Parkroad (2pm), Nakuru v Mvita (4pm), Strathmore v Western Jaguars (6pm)

National men: Bay v Kimathi – 2pm (Kisumu)

Sunday

Premier men: Parkroad v Mvita (9am), Strathmore v Nakuru (11am), Sikh Union v W. Jaguars (1pm)

National men: Kisumu Youngstars v Kimathi- 9am (Kisumu), Karate Axiom v Daystar (3pm)