KCB head coach Oliver Mang’eni has set his sights on sweet revenge against Kabras in the upcoming Enterprise Cup semifinal on Saturday after his side fell short in their Kenya Cup showdown.
The bankers suffered a 25-17 defeat to their bitter rivals on Saturday at the Kakamega ASK Showground. This win extends their remarkable unbeaten streak to 39 matches in Kenya Cup and have now topped the league standings for six consecutive years.
Kabras finished top of the log with 52 points, with KCB hot on their heels at 50, while Menengai Oilers secured third place with 47 points. Despite the setback, Mang’eni remains confident his charges will bounce back stronger.
“It is time for us to go back to the drawing board and work on the areas we fell short. I am confident we will bounce back stronger and better,” Mang’eni said.
Reflecting on the Kenya Cup battle, the tactician admitted his side started well but let the game slip in the second half.
“The boys started the game well. In the first half, we put a lot of pressure on Kabras. However, in the second half, we made so many mistakes in our territory that cost us a win,” he said.
The game started at a blistering pace, with Kenyan international Kelvin Wekesa pouncing on a KCB handling error inside their 22 to score a brilliant try within the opening 10 minutes.
Kabras’ early 7-0 lead was short-lived as Austin Sikutwa responded with an emphatic try for KCB, leveling the scores after converting his effort.
Ntabeni Dukisa slotted two penalties after Tyson Maina was penalized, nudging Kabras ahead once more. But the bankers hit back through Griffin Musila and Sikutwa to hand KCB a narrow 14-13 lead.
Dukisa, showing his sharp kicking form, struck another penalty before Sikutwa returned the favor with a three-pointer of his own, giving KCB a 17-16 edge.
However, just before the break, Dukisa’s boot once again proved decisive, his penalty ensuring Kabras went into halftime with a 19-17 advantage. In the second half Dukisa converted three penalties for the victory.
KCB dominated possession in the second half but failed to capitalize on their attacking opportunities.
On the other hand, 1983 Kenya Cup champions Mwamba, dug deep to stun Blak Blad 29-15 but the win was not enough as they got relegated together with newcomers South Coast Pirates. Menengai Oilers thrashed Coast Pirates 35-0 to send the newbies back to the second division.
It is the first time Mwamba will compete in the second-tier of the Kenya Rugby Union Championship since its formation in 1977 having produced rugby greats such as World Rugby Sevens Series try top-scorer Collins Injera.
