Senge rallies his Gladiators against prowling Jaguars

Strathmore University Gladiators coach Meshack Senge has called on his charges to rediscover their spark as they play in-form Western Jaguars in a Kenya Hockey Union men’s Premier League match at City Park Stadium in Nairobi, on Sunday.

Gladiators are seemingly out of form after a good start to the season  and have  managed a solitary win in their last four matches.

“The confidence has for sure dipped. We need to get our grove back and for that to happen we need to embrace teamwork rather than individual brilliance. Again we will have to go back to the basics and know how to manage the game,” said the former Kenya men’s coach.

Gladiators, the 2016 champions, lost to Jaguars 1-0 last month in Kakamega and the students, you would imagine will be keen to return the favour.

Strathmore had played to a 2-2 draw against United States International University Africa ( USIU-A) Mashujaa, won against Wazalendo 4-1 before they fell to Butali and Police in identical 2-1 scores.

The students are eighth in the 10-team league table with 13 points, four behind third-placed Jaguars.

Leaders and defending champions Butali Sugar Warriors and Kenya Police, who are not in action this weekend, have 30 and 24 points from 12 and 11 matches played respectively.

Jaguars will face USIU-A on Saturday.

Jaguars coach Michael Malungu conceded that the fixtures are tricky.

“We blew hot and cold in the first leg but things are falling into place in the second leg.

“USIU-A defeated us 1-0 at home but we are determined to make it count. Our opponents are technical and they have a young squad just as my team and therefore it will be an intense battle,” offered Malungu.

Jaguars will be without  striker Oscar Kibet due to academic commitments.
In the women’s top flight, USIU-A Spartans will be playing their first match since the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham where several of their players were the Kenya team.

The fourth-placed Spartans, with six points from three matches, have a date with Amira Sailors and Dutch Flower Group Wolverines.

Sailors have four points from eight matches in the seven team league.

On-form Strathmore with 18 points from six matches lead the standing while reigning champions Blazers have 14 points from seven matches.

Lakers with no match this weekend lie third with eight points from six matches played.

In the men’s Super League, bottom placed Parkroad Tigers will battle Technical University of Kenya (TUK) on Saturday.

 In the women’s Super League, leaders Kenyatta University play Vikings today before tackling Nairobi Chapel on Sunday.

KU have 22 points from eight matches while Vikings are pegged bottom of the lot on five points from the same number of matches.

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Fixtures (venue City Park unless stated)

Saturday:

KU v Vikings(W) (12pm)

Park road Tigers v TUK (M) (2pm)

Thika Rovers v UoN (M) (4pm, Strathmore University)

Amira Sailors v USIU-A (W) (4pm)

Western Jaguars v USIU-A (M) (6pm)

Daystar University v Gorilla (M) (12pm)

Sunday:

Jaguars v Strathmore (M) (9am)

Daystar v UoN (M) (10am, Strathmore)

Nandi Hawks v Kitale Hockey Club (M) (11am,Kapsabet High School)

KU v Nairobi Chapel (W) (11am)

KU v Wazalendo Master (M) (1pm)

USIU-A v Wolverines (W) 3pm)

KCA v Parklands Sports Club (M) (5pm)