FKF Div. One: Talking points from weekend action

The second leg of the third started with some grit but the same old performance from some of the teams. The race for promotion along with the relegation battle is as tense as ever with each team looking to reach their goals by the end of an action-packed campaign.

Match Day 16 only added to the drama as two thrillers saw APS Bomet and Fortune Sacco pick-up statement wins against Kiminini Combined and Simba Apparel.

At the other end of the table, Olympic Pirates' struggles continued as they failed to show up for the Ruiru Hot Stars match at the Imani Grounds while Sunderland Naivasha sank deeper into the red zone following a 3-0 battering by Nakuru Bucks.

With that said, here are talking points from round 16 of the FKF Division One League.

1. Huge wins for APS Bomet, Fortune Sacco, and 3K FC

Promotion-chasing sides were at their best over the weekend as they stepped up their quest for elevation to the National Super League (NSL) with wins against their weekend oppositions.

Fortune Sacco, who are unbeaten in nine league games in a row, did a double over the newbies thrashing them 3-1 courtesy of Elias Mugane's brace and Jacob Wangui’s clinical finish to cement top-of-the-league status for another week.

In Embu, Francis Chege’s 3K charges battered the Young Bulls 2-1 in a highly contested match at Moi stadium to keep on their toes with leaders Fortune. The performance was a cause for alarm for the Bulls who have won a single match in eight encounters thwarting their promotion hopes.

In Zone B, APS proved a hard nut to crack as they battled Kiminini Combined to a 1-0 win at Ndura Sports Complex and took their season’s tally to 34 points in 16 matches, two points ahead of second-placed Compel SC. Lawrence Kipkemoi scored the lone goal of the tie.

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2. Olympic Pirates a game away from adios

A tough season it has been for Olympic Pirates – from points deductions, and issuing walkovers to fielding fewer players on match days.

The straw that broke the camel's back was on Sunday when the club failed to show up for the clash against Ruiru Hot Stars at Imani Grounds. The incident forced match officials to call off the match awarding three points and two goals to Ruiru.

It does not stop there, the decision meant that the Pirates are one match away from demotion to the fourth tier that would end their unforgettable two-year stay in the league.

The Isiolo-based club just like the majority of the teams in the third division are grappling with financial issues that threaten their existence. Pirates saw the mass exit of key players after the 2022-2023 season that spelled a tough time for the Martin Mutembei-coached team and in December they issued a first walkover failing to honor the Young Bulls match in Malindi. Last week, the fixture between them and Spitfire FC was postponed after they failed to produce a fully equipped ambulance alongside security as a requirement by the Football Kenya Federation.

The Olympics sit bottom of the sixteen-team table with three points from 15 matches.

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3. Raise the standards of officiating in the league

‘’Home team must always win the game,” is a common phrase for third-tier loyalists that comes out voluntarily due to the nature of officiating teams are subjected to while playing far from home.

On Saturday, Omax determined to pick a fourth win in five matches got the ball rolling in the 23rd minute and held on as they were desperate to shock the hosts' Equity FC and ran away with all points. From the blues, the script changed and a penalty out of the skies was awarded to the bankers who made no mistake from the spot-kick to restore parity before sneaking in a late winner in what was likely from an offside position to the disappointment of Omax.

The show was just a sneak preview of what happens all over the country and it calls the relevant bodies to swing into action to salvage the beauty of grassroots football that has since been invaded by greed-led officials.

4. Kabati Youth's unbeaten run continues, Nakuru Bucks resurges

Kabati Youth have been significantly better since promotion to the league going unbeaten and securing crucial victories against tough opponents.

And it was this newfound winning mentality that helped Kabati see off Zetech Titans who have endured a tough time failing to win in four games of the previous six and now sit three points off the chop.

Kabati, who are now five games without dropping points, find themselves 5 points close to the summit of Zone A with 29 points in 16 games.

In Nakuru, Peter Okidi's men piled pressure on the league's led group as they continued with their trajectory rise, caging Sunderland Naivasha three goals to nil.

The win was the Bucks’ second in a row a performance that leaves them unbeaten since Okidi took over from Peter Wekesa and tenth on the log.

FKF Division One Weekend Results

Kiminini Combined 0-1 APS Bomet

GFE 105 FC 1-1 Green Commandos

St Joseph's Youth 0-2 Sigalagala Poly

Nakuru Bucks 3-0 Sunderland Naivasha

Compel 1-0 Zoo FC

Simba apparel 1-3 Fortune Sacco

Equity FC 2-1 OMAX FC

Dandora Youth 3-3 Malindi united

Spitfire FC 2-0 Kibra united

Kibera soccer 3-0 Kenya Navy

Kabati Youth 2-0 Zetech Titans

3K FC 2-1 Young Bulls

Ruiru Hotstars 2-0 Olympic pirates (walkover)

Transfoc 1-1 Bondo United

Bungoma superstars 0-0 MOFA