Visiting Nakuru weathered a second half assault from Mwamba to beat Kulabu 18-13 in a thrilling Kenya Cup match at at the Railway Club, Nairobi.
Leaders Kabras Sugar, defending champions Kenya Commercial bank (KCB) and Homeboyz claimed crucial wins to stay in the top three positions in the log.
Kabras Sugar thrashed touring Kenya Harlequin 34-3 for a bonus point victory at the Bullring to stay top with an improved tally of 50 points while KCB mauled Kisumu 55-3 at Kisumu Polytechnique ground to remain second with 49 points.
Homeboyz claimed a swift 36-11 victory against host Nondescripts at the Jamhuri Park to also stay third with 45 points.
Menengai Oilers failed to uphold their giant-killing instincts when they fell to host Impala Saracens 37-29 in a tight clash at the Impala Sports Club. Oilers had stunned Mwamba 30-14 in their previous outing.
The victory saw the Sarries stay fourth with 35 points as host Blak Blad crushed visitors Western Bulls 44-0 in a bottom-of-the-table clash at Kenyatta University ground.
Back at Railway Club, Nairobi, there was no end to Mwamba’s miseries after they failed to recover from Oilers defeat the previous Saturday.
Nakuru stayed sixth but with an improved tally of 29 points, one below Oilers, who still managed a bonus point from the defeat to Impala to stay fifth.
Mwamba camped in Nakuru’s half virtually for the better part of second half but wasted a lot of opportunities. Nakuru failed to venture into Mwamba’s 22 metre zone the whole of the second half as the Great Rift side deployed an impregnable defence.
Nakuru scored all their points in the first half with centre Oscar Ouma and hooker Emmanuel Mboya landing a try each. Full back Collins Onyango made one conversion and kicked in two penalties to lock the duel.
Fly-half Brian Kivasia gave Mwamba the penalty in the first half with the burly eighthman David Machanje landing from rolling mauls but all was in vain.
“The absence of my prop Felix Omondi was really felt in the second half as my forwards had to dig in for the slim victory,” Nakuru coach Felix “Mwalimu” Oloo said, adding that they have now resolved what he terms “domestic issues” that had seen his side register poor results.
Mwamba coach Peter Kefa rued the mistakes that cost his side. “We lost a vital try-scoring chance and two penalties in the second half and it made the big difference,” said Kefa.
Kabras Sugar 34-3 Harlequins; Mwamba 13-18 Nakuru; Impala 37-29 Menengai Oilers; Nondescripts 11-37 Homeboyz; Blak Blad 44-0 Western Bulls; Kisumu 7-55 KCB.
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