Menengai Oilers claimed a dominant 41-10 victory over Nondies RFC in a thrilling encounter Enterprise Cup semi-final at the Nakuru Showgrounds to reach first ever Cup final.
The Red Lions would have the home team against the ropes early on, first forcing a Vincent Mwikali knock just outside the 22 meter line before a Dominick Osino kick from the base of the ruck had Oilers scrambling to secure the ball in their try area.
Nondies who were looking on control early on would continue alternating between quick and slow ball as the Oilers’ defence wasted no opportunity to contest at the breakdown.
The first real opportunity would fall on Oilers’ way, Elkeans Musonye beating his marker on the right wing before releasing Daniel Kipchirchir whose wayward return pass to Musonye shifted possesion to the visitors. Another chance at unsettling the visitors would go begging as Tony Oketch’s cross-kick to his winger found touch on the right side.
Oilers would capitalise on a numerical advantage to open scoring after Daniel Okito was sent off to leave Nondies defending a man short.
Fullback Oketch who was running a good support line would dive over the white chalk as the Red defence scrambled to raise numbers on the outside.
The refinery would come to life as the home team continued making up for the uncharacteristically erroneous start to the opening half with a second try, Samuel Ovwamu bumping off a non committed Bruce Odhiambo before evading the attention of Osino to score under the uprights for a 12-0 lead.
Conditions would get more slippery for the Lions after Nelson Makokha intercepted Steve Odhiambo’s pop pass in the center of the pitch before summoning his rangy legs to carry him the rest of the sixty meters to ground the ball in the corner, Oketch’s kick from the right swaying to the left to leave matters at 17-0.
More first half action was yet to come as Oilers turned up the heat as Celestine Mboi broke through the middle to take the home team into Nondies’ 22, a few passes to the the outside would find Kipchirchir to stroll in for their fourth of the evening.
Sankara Wafula would open the visitors’ scoring account after a hard injection by Osino allowed the Lions front ball for Ian Mubwani to find Sankara in his inside channel for a 22-5 score line.
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It was proving to be an oily affair again as Alvin Khavoli made it a high five in the opening motions of the second stanza, showing off his large gas tanks as Oilers hit from deep in their 22. Samuel Mwaura’s wide pass catching a natrow Nondies defence unaware before Oketch, ball in two hands took it slightly past the half way mark before releasing Khavoli to cover the rest of the distance.
A sixth would follow shortly as Nondies failed to stop Ovwamu who sliced two Red shirts before stepping the fullback in a similar fashion to his first half run to make it Oilers ball just outside the five, Samuel Were needing no second invitation to force his way over to make it 34-5.
Musonye would burge over near the uprights to take the scores to 41-5 as Oilers now had to do with 13 men as both Fortune Arturo and Shitundo Crispine called their feet in the sin bin area. A shifty Tony Fidens would sell a dummy before slamming on the gas to score the second try fro the Lions as Oilers found it hard to cover the width of the pitch for a 41-10 scoreline as a returning John Okoth kicked out the ball for the full time whistle.
