A strong second half performance as well as Darwin Mukidza’s 13 point contribution from his cultured right foot steered defending champions KCB to the cup semifinal at the Impala Floodlit tournament with a hard fought 28-19 win over Menengai Cream Homeboyz at the Impala Club on Saturday 1 October 2016.
Kelvin Masai’s penalty gave the deejays an early lead but the KCB, the tournament’s defending champions, soon went ahead, using their edge in the forwards to score off a rolling maul through Peter Karia, Darwin Mukidza’s conversion putting them 7-3 up.
Masai would then convert Max Kang’eri’s try before adding two penalties as the deejay led 16-7, taking advantage of KCB’s numerical disadvantage after scrummie Felix Wanjala was sin binned.
KCB, rudderless following Wanjala’s indiscretion, finally stumbled on a semblance of order,taking the game to Homeboyz in the forwards, inevitably scoring through Karia who landed his brace off a rolling maul, Mukidza converting as Homeboyz led 16-14 at the break.
Mukidza and Masai traded penalties after the restart, the deejays with the slight 19-17 lead, the last time they would lead in this fixture as the bankers upped the ante, retaking the lead from Mukidza’s penalty before Kenya Sevens skipper Andrew Amonde scored his side’s third for a 25-19 lead. Mukidza’s late penalty confirmed the result and a cup semifinal berth for KCB.