Polo: Lachlan eye X-mas show prize

Gideon Moi (left) of Mambo battles out with Ben Stone-wigg of Track Rack during the American Polo Tournament at Manyatta Polo Club in Gilgil ,Nakuru county on December 9,2018.Photo:Kipsang Joseph/Standard

Offbeat manage four goals as Christmas Championship get underway at Manyatta Polo Club.

Handicap 6.5 Lachlan team of Izzy Parson, Kimoi Moi, Ben Stonewigg and Harry Stichbury beat Offbeat 9.5-4 to land on a good start at the Ndume Trophy Christmas Polo Championships at Manyatta Polo Club in Gilgil last evening.

Stonewigg scored five goals in the four chukkas as Stichbury scored thrice two in the first chukka and the third goal in the final chukka and Izzy Parsons only managed a goal in the first one.

Handcap Offbeat team of Archie Voorspuy (5), Harry Griffiths (1.5), Kigen Moi (1) and Gideon Moi (1) only managed four goals through Voorspuy who thrice. Chris Foot, who substituted Kigen, scored one goal in the first chukka.

The two teams meet in the return match this morning in round robin format. The matches were cancelled on Friday after heavy rains rendered the pitch slippery.

“The first four matches of all teams in the tournament had to be cancelled forcing us to have some matches played on knockout basis to run within the tournament’s schedule,” Manyatta Polo Club Captain Gorddy Millar told Standard Sports.

In Kessier Cup, Tack Rack went on a goal scoring spree with an 8-1 victory over handicap two Morendat team of Vishal Somaia, Nikki Ngugi, Phyllipa Gulden and Mina Stienrnbald.

By the end of the first two chukkas, Tack Rack were up by four goals to nil thanks to efforts of Lochie Stichbury (three) and Megan Griffiths.

Griffiths steered his teammates to victory with two more goals in the third chukka as Mike Du Toit added the next goal before the end of the third chukka. 

Visual Somaia was the man of the match for his side when he converted the consolation goal, having missed a penalty in the fourth chukka.

Gulden should have also reduced the deficits for her team in the fourth chukka when she miscalculated a backhand shot and narrowly missed target.

In another match, Rift Valley Roses dismissed Hygrotch 4.5-4.