Kabras stroll past Menengai to maintain Kenya Cup lead

Kabras Sugar maintained their unbeaten run in the Kenya Cup League after thrashing debutants Menengai Oilers 41-5 at Kakamega Showground on Saturday.

South African Marion Wilson scored a hat-trick to hand the 2016 champions their sixth bonus-point victory as they cemented their stay at the top of the league standings with 30 points from six matches.

Kabras Coach Henley Plessis said his side could have won the match with a bigger margin had they utilized all their chances.

“We had better ball possession but our finishing was not so good," he said.

Menengai tactician Gibson Weru said he would strive to improve on their grey areas.

“It is our first time in the top league and I treat every match as a learning lesson,” he noted.

The league leaders grabbed the lead barely five minutes into the match when Logan Bosson touched down but his try was not converted.

Efforts by Menegai forwards Francis Atiti, Haghes Anjera, Rashid Kabole and Chrispin Shitambai to penetrate the Kabras defence were thwarted by the burly Phillip Wokorachi.

Marion Wilson set Kabras further ahead with two quick unconverted tries before Brian Juma tossed over a converted try that saw the Kakamega outfit lead 22-0 at the break.

Menengai reduced the deficit through Bildad Ogeta's unconverted try two seconds after the restart but Wilson completed his hat-trick to restore the hosts' healthy lead.

Kabras wingers Kevin Kigen and Bramwel Mayaka sealed the fate of their opponents with two converted tries.

At the RFUEA grounds, Nondescript rediscovered their winning touch when they stunned Impala Saracens 22-20.

A last gasp penalty from fly-half Fidel Sinei is what Nondies needed to break the hearts of Impala fans in the televised match.

The victory, which was their fourth this season, having stunned heavyweights KCB and Homeboyz earlier, saw Nondies scale one place to fourth with 19 points.

Defending champions Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) crashed visiting Mean Machine from the University of Nairobi 50-3 at Ruaraka.

In another match at the same venue, hosts Kenya Harlequin put up a spirited battle to silence touring Nakuru 36-21, Homeboyz stopped Blak Blad from Kenyatta University 35-23 at Jamhuri Park showground while Mwamba edged out Strathmore 47-25 at Madaraka.

KCB remain second after the bonus point victory to bring their tally to 25 points as Quins, who got a bonus point, moved to second place with 21 points.

As Nondies moved to fourth, Impala dropped to fifth but still got one bonus point for losing with less than seven points to Nondies for their tally of 18 points.

Mwamba moved one place to sixth with 17 points with Homeboyz also scaling one place to seventh with 16 as Nakuru dropped three places to ninth with 15 points.

Nondies had trailed 9-12 at the break after Sinei curled over two penalties and a drop goal. Tries from second-row Eric Kerre and prop Edgar Obino gave Impala the lead after Quinton Ongo made one conversion.

Then Sinei levelled 12-12 with a penalty before he converted eighth-man Steven Odhiambo’s try to give Nondies 19-12 lead.

However, Ongo’s penalty brought Impala back into the match as fullback’s Richard Sindindi’s try saw them regain the lead 20-19. It was then that Sinei exhibited great composure to stab in the winning penalty for Nondies.

Saturday results

Kabras 41-5 Menengai Oilers

Quins 36-21 Nakuru

Impala 20-22 Nondies

Strathmore 25-47 Mwamba

KCB 50-3 Machine

Homeboyz 35-23 Blak Blad