Lakers hold champs Blazers as Butali maintain unbeaten run

Blazers' Barbra Simiyu (left) and Purity Aseyo of Lakers during Kenya Hockey Premier league at City Park Hockey stadium. October 2, 2022. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Lakers Hockey Club moved to third place in the women's Kenya Hockey Union Premier League after collecting four points away from home in Nairobi over the weekend.

The Kisumu City-based outfit yesterday played to a 1-1 draw against defending champions Blazers (formerly Telkom) after previously thrashing Sliders 4-0 on Saturday at City Park Stadium.

Lakers headed into the match on the back of a disappointing form where they lost two home matches in a row (against Strathmore and USIU-A) and need to bounce back.

They however found their grove back through Debra Achieng and Maureen Owiti who each scored a brace in Saturday's afternoon victory over Sliders.

Yesterday was the turn of national team striker Aurelia Opondo to deliver victory for the Kisumu side which she did after scoring to give Lakers the lead before former Sinyolo Girls alumni Maureen 'Okushe' Okumu denied them all three points with an equaliser for the hosts.

Despite the draw, Lakers moved to third spot after leapfrogging Wolverines, Sliders and USIU-A.

Blazers remain second with 14 points, four points behind leaders Strathmore University Scorpions who have a game in hand and can go seven-points clear.

The university students scored three goals in the first half through captain Gilly Okumu (second minute), Angela Sande (sixth minute) and Nichole Odhiambo (10th) on Saturday to beat bottom placed Amira Sailors 3-0.

The win saw Meshack Senge's charges register their sixth straight win of the season and five-points clear with 18 points and are yet to concede a goal this season.

Apart from the Amira Sailors win, they have defeated Lakers (1-0), Sliders (2-0), Wolverines (1-0), Sailors (2-0) and defending champions Blazers (2-0).

In the men's Premier League, defending champions Butali Warriors were forced to dig deep and force a 2-2 draw to maintain their unbeaten run in the 2022 season.

After a scoreless first half, Allan Malit gave the visitors the lead in the third quarter before George Mutira restored parity for the champions at the start of the final quarter.

Bethwel Majangu thought he had won the match for Jaguars with a goal three minutes from the hooter before Mutira endured they will share the spoils.

After the draw, the defending champions remained top of the 10-team league standings with 30 points while Jaguars retain their third position with 17 points.

Greensharks on the other hand defeated Strathmore University Gladiators 2-1 to move three slots ahead on standings to fifth place with 16 points.

Rioba Marwa scored a brace for Sharks while Moses Mungai scored a consoling goal for the hosts.