Resolution Impala Saracens broke a five year win drought at Nakuru Athletic Club, beating the home side, Top Fry Nakuru RFC, 26-18 over the weekend.
The Resolution Insurance backed side were first on the board when they turned over the ball at a breakdown, and went wide to find blindside winger Sydney Muniafu free. He still had much work to do and had to beat Calvin Otieno, as last man, before scoring the try from Impala’s first run at Nakuru. Fullback George Okowa added the extras. 7-0, Impala.
The Ngong Road based side would then waste another try scoring chance when openside wing Kevin Ochami failed to play in fly half Nato Simiyu on his inside after a wide ball play.
Ochami would then find Simiyu, on a second identical movement, for him to score centre post. Okowa converted the try for a 14-0 Impala lead.
Eighth man, Paul Mutsami would begin his rampaging runs, running 20 metres to set up Ochami’s corner post try. Okowa would be off target this time. 19-0, Impala.
Nakuru would inch back into the game keeping the ball tight as they clawed into Impala territory.
Locks David Kivuti and Philip Kwame, together with backrow Michael Okombe and Martin Owillah would be prominent in this phase of the game. Nakuru added scrummaging to further pressure Impala.
Eventually, the pressure would tell with Okombe scoring from the close quarter exchanges. Scrum half Geoffrey Ominde converted for a 19-7 Impala lead.
Similar pressure would result in another penalty conversion, by Ominde, for a 19-10 half time lead. Nonetheless, this was not before referee Bosco Muamba ruled out a Samson Onsomu try after another typical Mutsami run.
After the break, the Top Fry branded team picked up the pressure from where they left off. They would be rewarded by an Owillah try and a fly half Martin Muita penalty conversion in rapid succession. The game was now finely poised at 19-18, Impala.
A series of furious exchanges would see Okowa make a try saving tackle on Owillah, who was the main Nakuru threat ball in hand.
Impala weathered that third quarter heat and begun their own series of runs at the beginning of the last quarter.
In one such run, reserve winger Vincent Mose swerved, sidestepped and dummied his way into the Nakuru red zone before playing in Okowa to finish a glorious try. Okowa added the conversion for the 26-18.
The final Nakuru push was countered by a resolute Resolution Impala defence.The D was bolstered by experienced reserve forwards Paul Oimbo, Joel Omer and Stephen Juma for the score to remain 26-18, Impala, with a four-try bonus point.
“It was a tough fixture as you would imagine a fixture against Nakuru at home. Things weren’t made easier by the fact that the Wanyore had just come from a big away win against Kabras Sugar,” said Director of Rugby, Fred Ollows.
“The boys played with great poise and character to get a win at NAC after 5 seasons”
Resolution Impala Saracens end the year third on the log, with 21 points, after their Ngong Road rivals, Kenya Harlequin FC, who lead with 23 points, and defending champions, KCB, who are second with 22. An exciting Kenya Cup year awaits.