Enterprise Cup: Impala upset Menengai Oilers
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Reading Time: 2min | Sat. 19.03.22. | 16:51
The 10-time Kenya Cup champions march to the quarter finals with the victory
Impala Saracens soothed their Kenya Cup relegation by stunning last edition's finalists Menengai Oilers 21-17 in an Enterprise Cup Round of 16 clash staged at the Impala Club on Saturday 19 March.
After a cagey opening 15 minutes of the game where both teams failed to break into each other's five meter mine, Impala finally opened the scoring in the 19th minute when Anthony Odhiambo went on a lung bursting run in the left channel, fending off tackles from the Oilers back line and raced on the byline to slot the ball between the sticks but the conversion was missed.
Oilers failed to convert two penalties as the struggled in the opening half hour to get their grove but they finally did so in the 31st minute when Ibrahim Ayoo touched down after a brilliant maul from a well executed line out as again kicking let them down in the conversion.
Oilers however went into the half time break leading when Timothy Omela split the sticks with his penalty kick after a scrum infringement to hend in to the break with a 10-5 lead.
Impala had a mirror start to the second half as they regained their lead four minutes after the restart when Paul Mutsami got onto the score sheet after a text book scrum on the five meter line.
The 10 time Kenya Cup champions kept the scoreboard ticking with a penalty off Martin Juma's boot from the 22 meter line for a 15-10 lead.
Oilers surged ahead in the 67th minute as leads kept on shifting in the clash this time, they were awarded a penalty try after Impala illegally collapsed the scrum from the five meter line.
Impala recaptured the lead five minutes later when Anthony Odhiambo drilled in a penalty and repeated the feat with six minutes left on the clock for a 21-17 lead.
Indiscipline ultimately cost Oilers as Impala kicked another penalty through Anthony Odhiambo as it proved to be the final piece of action on the scoreboard.
Despite a spirited fight in the dying minutes of the game, Impala held on for a 24-17 win.
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