Impala beat KCB to end six year Floodlit title wait

Resolution Impala RFC celebrate after trouncing KCB FC at Impala club on Saturday night, Oct 15, 2016. PHOTO: JONAH ONYANGO/STANDARD]

Impala RFC finally ended their six year wait to reclaim the Impala Floodlit title after dethroning champions KCB 33-32 in Saturday’s night pulsating final at the Impala Sports Club.

It was a sweet revenge for the Sarries after losing 26-14 to KCB in last year’s final. Interestingly, it is KCB whom they beat in 2010 when they last won the tournament.

It is a victory that left Impala RFC Director of Rugby Fred Ollows a happy man, heaping praise on his players for a job well done.

“It is a great victory and a good feeling to win back the trophy. The boys played their hearts and for sure deserves the title,” Ollows told Feverpitch.

“Floodlit has always been a good pre-season tournament and this win is a big boost for us ahead of the new season. We have learnt a lot and it’s my hope that the boys will carry this form into the new season.”

Kenya Sevens captain Andrew Amonde drew the first blood off a rolling maul with Darwin Mukidza successfully converting for a 7-0 KCB lead.

However, tournament’s most promising player and top points scorer (30) Quinto Oongo scored two penalties in between Davis Makori’s converted try for the Sarries to go 13-7 up.

Mukidza would drill home a penalty to bring the bankers to within three points of the hosts before Collins Nato capitalised on the host’s poor passing to ground the bankers’ second try. However, Mukidza’s conversion went wide making the scores 15-13 at the break.

Francis Mwita touched down an unconverted try early in the second half for KCB to go 20-13 up but, Oongo reduced the deficit through a penalty before Sammy Oliech scored a converted try for Impala to regain the lead 23-20.

Oongo then converted Duncan Ekasi’s try for the Sarries to stretch the lead 30-20.

However, the bankers capitalised on the numerical advantage after the Impala’s duo of Oliech and Dennis Karani were sent to the sin. Peter Karia scored a converted try to narrow the score 30-27 but Nato Simiyu’s drop goal gave the Sarries a 33-27 lead.

Mukidza grounded a last gasp try but unfortunately missed the conversion to the dismay of the bankers’ fans gifting the Ngong Road side their seventh title and a first in six years.

The new Kenya Cup season kicks off on November 5.