Pan Africa Strathmore Leos’ resilience and determination played out on Saturday as they came back twice to beat defending champions Kenya Commercial Bank RFC 27-25 in a Kenya Cup match played at the Railways Club.

 

The win ensured Strathmore goes top of the log with 19 points while KCB drop to third with 16.

 

The students trailed 3-10 and 10-18 in first half but turned on their game in second half to give the bankers a rare defeat.

 

After starting poorly in the set pieces, Strathmore tightened their scrum and dominated the lineout in second half. They remain unbeaten after four games played and took a 3-0 lead in the 5th minute through a penalty kicked by Humphrey Owuor.

 

In the 10th minute, Stafford Abeka gave KCB a 5-0 lead with an unconverted try. The bankers had successfully contested a ruck with Marlin Mukolwe picking up possession, passed the ball to Ken Moseti who fed Abeka.

Strathmore had the opportunity to take the lead three minutes later after a scrum infringement by KCB but Owuor kicked the penalty wide.

 

Abeka was in the thick of things again as KCB extended the lead to 10-8 in the 18th minute. He picked out Brian Omondi with the ball to score after Peter Waitere had gained possession from a scrum.

Lock Oliver Mang’eni limped off in the 20th minute leaving KCB highly exposed at the lineout. They struggled without him and Strathmore were quick to capitalize.

 

At the half hour mark, Moseti kicked the ball into Strathmore’s half to gain territory but the ball landed in the hands of Victor Odera.

 

He passed to Alex Olaba who made a powerful break on the left wing from his half to KCBs end but passed the ball to Ginton Adongo after being overwhelmed. Adongo touched down with Owuor converting for a 10-10 score.

 

KCB led 18-10 at half time. Darwin Mukidza gave KCB a 15-10 lead in the 35th minute with a try from a scrum possession and Mukolwe kicked a penalty at the stroke of halftime for 18-10. Within three minutes of restart, Brian Nyikuli pulled back a try for Strathmore from a rolling maul after bossing the lineout. Owuor converted for 18-17.

 

Fullback Mike Wanjala then scored a spectacular try that gave Strathmore the lead. He kicked the ball from the halfline which was picked by Cyprian Kuto. He also kicked and Wanjala regained possession from the kick that ended up in the try as they led 22-18.

 

Owuor was sent to the sin bin but the numerical disadvantage did not deter their push for more points. In the 58th minute, Strathmore overpowered KCB at their own lineout inside their 22 to turn over possession that created a clear scoring chance. Kuto picked up the ball and weaved his way past KCB players to sprint on the right wing unchallenged.

 

He passed the ball to substitute Tony Owuor who was clear inside 22 but knocked on for a scrum to KCB.

Wanjala missed a penalty in front of the posts at the hour mark as KCBs Elly Mukaidzi was sent to the sin bin. Strathmore scored another try in the 73rd from a lineout situation after mauling all the way with substitute Churchill Ooko touching down.

 

Prop Eric Kioko was a standout player for Strathmore, using his physique to give the students enough ground for dominating possession and forced two effective turnovers in second half.

 

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