Hockey: Lakers edge Sliders to close gap on top two as Blazers hold Strathmore

Lakers Hockey Club players before a past match.[Washington Onyango,Standard]

Lakers Hockey Club completed a perfect weekend run after narrowly seeing off Sliders 1-0 in a Kenya Hockey Union Premier League match played at Kisumu Day High School grounds on Sunday.

Aurelia Opondo scored the all-important goal in the 45th minute to send the Lakers to 14 points after eight matches. The win saw the Lakers maintain their perfect start to the second leg.

On Saturday, the Austin Tuju-coached side edged off Amira Sailors 2-0 and in the process picked their first home win of the season.

The Kisumu side headed into the match behind a poor run of home defeats that saw them go down 1-0 to USIU Spartans and Strathmore Scorpions.

The Lakers have now won four matches, drawn two, and lost two.

In Nairobi, defending champions Blazers ended Strathmore University Scorpion's perfect run after holding the league leaders to a 1-1 draw at City Park.

Scorpions headed into the match with a 100 percent win record after their impressive seven wins in a row and hoped to complete a double over the champions whom they beat 2-0 in the first leg to improve on their chances of winning the league.

However, Blazers who are the most successful hockey club in the country had other ideas.

Despite a goalless first half, Blazers showed their intent of wanting to win the match known in the third quarter after scoring in the 43 minute when Barbara Simiyu converted a penalty corner.

The leaders would leave it late to secure an important point when captain Jeriah Onsare leveled the scores in the 57 minute also through a penalty corner.

Despite the draw, Strathmore leads the log with 22 points, seven ahead of Blazers who maintain the second spot with 15 points. Lakers from Kisumu are third with 14 points as USIU Spartans close the top four with 9 points.

In the relegation zone, Sliders and Sailors are tied on five points but can still survive the chop if they win their remaining matches.