Resilient Kabras Sugar end KCB's unbeaten streak, go top of Kenya Cup standings

Kenya Cup defending champions Kabras Sugar showed exactly why they are the team to beat once again in the 2022/2023 season as they ended KCB's unbeaten run with a hard fought 23-29 victory that propelled them to the top of the standings heading into the last game of the campaign.

In the top of the table clash staged at the KCB Sports Club on Saturday afternoon, the combined brilliance of South African flyhalf Ntabeni Dukisa and Fijian magician Jone Kubu helped the sugarmen maintain their unbeaten streak this season as the duo contributed to 24 of the 29 points scored.

While Kubu bagged a brace in the clash, Dukisa grabbed the fourteen points off his boot that came up trumps when needed the most.

KCB on the other hand, despite showing their idiosyncratic strong mentality, were left to rue for a sluggish start to the game which ended up costing them despite Darwin Mukidza scoring thirteen points in the game.

It is the visiting Kabras who showed how much they badly wanted to make a statement in the game as they had a blistering start to the game in racing to an early 0-10 lead in the opening ten minutes.

Dukisa drilled in his first successful penalty just two minutes into the clash to give his side an early 0-3 lead before Kubu got the game's opening try in some brilliant fashion.

After receiving a KCB clearance kick, the Kenya Simbas ace sidestepped his first marker before hitting a grabber that caught the KCB backline flat footed as he chased down the ball.

With the ball leaving Mukidza for dead, Kubu managed to get to his kick which he touched down at the corner, Dukisa ensuring the team reaped the full seven points following a successful conversion.

Having made a sluggish start, the Bankers were then reduced to 14 men when Oscar Simiyu was sin binned for a reckless high tackle.

Kabras managed to use their man advantage to good effect as Dukisa converted two more penalties that extended Kabras' lead to 0-16.

With the gap growing wider and wider and the away side looking in top gear, KCB managed to get on the scoreboard for the first time on the 28th minute when Mukidza drilled in a penalty from near the halfway line.

That attempt proved to be the ignition they needed as the diminutive Samuel Asati cleverly picked the ball from a scrum move before forcing his way through the smallest of gaps, Mukidza converting to reduce the deficit to 10-16 at the break.

The home team started brightly in the second half as Curtis Lilako got their second try just two minutes into the second half after early pressure.

Mukidza successfully converted again to give the Bankers a first time 17-16 lead in the clash.

It was a lead that only lasted two minutes as Dukisa, after two critical missed attempts, found his range once again to restore Kabras' lead to 17-19.

With the change in momentum, KCB extended their lead to 23-19 following two successful penalty conversions as Kabras struggled to find their early ascendancy.

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The evergreen Kubu however brought his side back in the clash with another well worked try that, although unconverted, restored their lead to 23-24.

Ugandan Elphas Emong then ensured all the points went back to Kakamega after touching down from a successful maul powered by the sugarmen to seal the 23-29 win following an unsuccessful conversion.