HOCKEY: Telkom beat woeful Vikings

Vikings Lorrain Awour9l) and Telkom Beatrice Wekesa fight for the ball when they played Ladies premier league at City Park. ON 26/05/2018(Jenipher Wachie, Standard)

Veteran Jackline Mwangi was on fire as Telkom thrashed Vikings 11-0 in a Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) women’s Premier League match played yesterday at City Park. Mwangi whose prowess at the opponents' goal is unrivaled scored five goals as Telkom registered their fourth victory of the season. 

International Lilian Aura netted a hat-trick while Maureen Okumu, Caroline Guchu and Tracy Karanja scored one goal each for the 20-time league winners. The victory saw Telkom dislodge Strathmore University Scorpions from the top of the log. The former Africa champions are tied on 12 points with the Scorpions but enjoy a superior goal difference. 

Telkom dominated the match from the onset but their quest for early goals were thwarted by the Vikings defenders and goalkeeper Lorraine Awuor. Mwangi finally got it right seconds to the break of the first quarter giving them a 1-0. Okumu made 2-0 in the 22nd minute before Mwangi added two more goals in the 24th and 28th minutes for a 4-0 lead at half-time. 

On resumption, Vikings resorted to defensive play tightening their defence as Telkom strikers surged deep into their territory hunting for more goals. They held on in the third quarter stopping Telkom from scoring more goals. However, they loosened up again in the final quarter allowing Telkom to score at will as Aura and Guchu scored three quick goals in the 47th, 48th and 49th minutes. 

Karanja put her name on the score sheet in the 53rd minute with Aura completing her hat-trick two minutes later. Mwangi scored her fourth and fifth goals in the 56th and 60th minutes giving Telkom maximum points. [Elizabeth Mburugu]