Vikings captain Susan Muchae hit a brace to down Sliders 2-1 in a Kenya Hockey Union Premier League encounter at the City Park yesterday.
Muchae gave her team the lead in the 28th minute after a nice exchange with Doreen Otieno in an encounter that the winners lost Carol Okoth, with a broken teeth, as her replacement Bancy Wawira left the pitch after a knock on the head.
Sliders worked hard for an equaliser but their opponents were equally strong to repulse their moves as Vikings took their narrow advantage to the break.
Vikings produced a fine display upon resumption and their efforts were fruitful in the 50th minute as Muchae completed her double.
Sliders under Charity Miller, a former senior player at Vikings a season ago, pressed for a comeback and got their consolation goal in the 53rd minute through Sharon Mukui.
An effort to restore parity bore no fruit for Sliders as Clyde Mmbaha’s girls held on until the final whistle to collect all three points.
Mmbaha castigated the umpires for failing to protect her players from dangerous tackles. He, however, congratulated her girls for playing to instructions and keeping a good fighting spirit despite the injury setbacks.
His Sliders counterpart, Miller, said the absence of senior and experienced players cost her side the three points. She vowed to work on their mistakes and promised to beat Vikings in the second leg.
Earlier, JKUAT and Amira Sailors laboured to a barren draw with Sailors squandering a number of clear cut chances to sound the board.
JKUAT head coach Sammy Oungo said: “I am satisfied with the draw and the one point. Discipline in defence and concentration has worked well for us. We will work on our blunt forwardline for more goals.”
His counterpart Willis Otieno observed: “We were not keen in their half and we failed to capitalise on their blunders. They came to defend and it proved hard for us to break their defence. We will bounce back with a win”.
In the mens’ tier Impala Club thrashed Thika Rovers 2-0 to record their second consecutive win in four days.
Edwin Odhiambo bagged a brace in the 16 and 50th minutes to down Felix Aomo’s boys. The defeat was Rovers’ first of the season.