The Gazelles had two clearcut try scoring chances from close to the base breaks initiated by fly half Nato Simiyu. First, right winger and later man of the match Quinto Ongo took his eye off the ball to knock on in the sixth minute while referee Constant Cap adjudged openside flanker Tyson Okoth to have held the ball on contact with lots of red shirt support.

In the 26th minute, after much seesaw movement, scrum half Lyle Asiligwa would boot Quins into the lead after a Sarries side entry penalty at the top of their 22m.

Simiyu would reply with a drop goal ten minutes later with the ref playing advantage for an offence similar to the Sarries one, by Quins. By half time, the scores were tight and even at 3-3.

Second half would see more frantic activity with both sides trying to get a foothold in the match. However, the first score in the half would only come in the 67th minute when former Impala Pius Shiundu scored an unconverted try at the corner flag past a scrambling Impala defence. 8-3, Quins.

The Impala captain Joel Omer would then raise the game pressure when he intercepted Asiligwa’s base pass, run 20 metres and sent a grubber to Ongo who barely missed the unfavourable bounce.

The Sarries would, on 72 minutes’ score when they attacked a scrum blindside through  eigthman Duncan Ekasi.  He passed to scrum half Samson Onsomu whose delayed pass put fullback George Okowa in space to release Ongo. Ongo then chipped and regathered to score at the corner. He would then convert from the difficult angle to take Impala to the lead for the first time at 10-8.

Quins would go up again in the 76th minute when, in one of their forays into the Impala 22m, the Red Shirts committed a side entry offence. Reserve scrum half Kevin would slot in the penalty conversion for their slim 11-10 lead.

Practically in the last play, Ekasi would carry the ball to the blindside again, and from a series of reserve loosehead prop Neville Omondi carries, Quins would concede a failure to roll away penalty.

Ongo would then step up to strike in the 35 metre penalty conversion to earn the Ngong Road bragging rights from a 13-10 win.

“As you’d imagine, we’re very pleased with the win. Quins are alot stronger this year than they were at this stage of last season.

We will look to tighten our execution into the final match againt the defending champions, KCB. As is common, finals are about seizing moments and closing chances,” said Impala’s Director of Rugby, Fred Ollows.