Hockey: Butali eye Sailors scalp to go top

Champions Butali Sugar Warriors team have a chance to move on top of Kenya Hockey Union Premier League standings when they play Sailors at City Park Stadium in Nairobi on Sunday.

Butali, who are unbeaten occupy second position with 17 points from seven matches, two points behind leaders Kenya Police who are not in action this weekend.

Butali will take on fourth-placed and much improved Sailors who have 11 points from six matches.

Also on card on Sunday is the match pitting fifth-placed Strathmore University Gladiators against Wazalendo who are third with 13 points from six matches.

It’s a tie that could go either way but Strathmore will be keen to record a win after losing two matches last week. The students lost to Kenya Police 2-1 and Sailors 3-2.

Wazalendo, who shared spoils 1-1 last weekend against Mombasa Sports Club (MSC) away, said they are aware of what is at stake.

“I was disappointed that we gave away two points but that’s the nature of the sport, you win some and lose some. Gladly, we are done with our away matches and we hope to win the remaining three matches before the first leg ends. We are still in contention for the title, it’s still early to early to name favorites but we know if we lose the remaining away matches it will puncture our objective,” said Wazalendo coach Ndung'u Njogu.

“Strathmore are a good side. Their fitness is on another level. They have been progressive in what they have been doing and we can’t underrate them. We have prepared well, let’s see how the match will pan out,” he added.

Wazalendo are yet to play Butali ,Sailors and Strathmore. United States International University-Africa (USIU-A) will welcome bottom-placed MSC in the early kick-off on Sunday at City Park Stadium.

On Saturday, MSC will be seeking their first win of the season when they play Western Jaguars in the only Premier League match of the day at City Park Stadium.

In the men’s Super League, Sikh Union will be hoping to extend their lead when they travel to play Nakuru Sports Club.

Sikh have 25 points from 10 matches while second-placed Kenya College of Accountancy (KCA) will be away in Kisumu to play Kisumu Youngstars. KCA have 21 points from nine matches.

Bottom-placed Parkroad Tigers will be seeking their first win of the season when play Mvita XI at the City Park Stadium.

Tigers are winless from nine matches and have four points.

In the men’s National League, Nandi Hawks take on Bay Club at Kapsabet High School, while Kitale Hockey Club play Bungoma  Farmers at St Anthony Boys High School in Kitale.

Gorilla will welcome Mombasa West at Strathmore University grounds in Nairobi, while Daystar University square it out with Karate Axiom at the same venue as Impala welcome Thika Rovers at their backyard.

Women’s Premier League matches are still on hold as players drawn from the clubs are with the national team that is in residential training at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani ahead of this year’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, United Kingdom.

Fixtures

Saturday

Nandi Hawks v Bay Club (Kapsabet High school,1pm)

Kitale Hockey Club v Bungoma (St Anthony High School,Kitale 1pm)

Kisumu Youngstars v KCA ( Kisumu Day High School,12pm)

Gorilla v Mombasa West (Strathmore, 1pm)

Nakuru v Sikh Union (Nakuru Sports Club, 2pm)

Impala v Thika Rovers (Impala Club, 3pm)

Daystar v Karate Axiom (Strathmore, 4pm)

MSC v Wewtern Jaguars (City Park Stadium, 4pm)

Parkroad Tigers v Mvita (City Park, 6pm)

Sunday

USIU-A v MSC (City Park,9am)

Nairobi Chapel v University of Nairobi (Strathmore,10am)

JKUAT v Mvita XI (City Park,10am)

Daystar v Impala (Strathmore, 12pm)

Nakuru v Multimedia University (Nakuru Sports Club grounds, 3pm)

Strathmore v Wazalendo (City Park Stadium, 1pm)

Butali v Sailors (City Park Stadium,3pm)

Parklands Sports Club v Technical University of Kenya (City Park, 5pm)