Menengai Oilers upset Homeboyz 10-5 to win the Great Rift 10-a-side tournament at the Nakuru Athletic Club yesterday.
The Oilers who have ruffled the feathers of the big side in the Kenya Cup settled early in the entertaining clash and scored through Derrick Keyoga at the corner for an unconverted try and a 5-0 lead.
Homeboyz did not give up without a fight and dominated possession and their efforts were rewarded when Bob Muhati sliced open the Oilers defence to touch down for an unconverted try to tie the match at 5-5 at the interval.
On resumption, both teams attacked looking for the match-winning try but handling errors and poor decision making in the 22 was to cost them. Against the run of play, Oilers Anthony Kibet picked a loose ball and combined with Harold Anduvate to cross the whitewash and score the winning try with a minute left on the clock and hand the Nakuru-based side the silverware.
Oilers had stunned KCB 7-0 in the semifinals while the deejays made light work of Blak Blad, winning 19-0 in the second semifinal.
In the third and fourth playoff match, KCB edged Blak Blad 17-5 as Masinde Muliro University thrashed Strathmore 33-0 to win the fifth-place final. Nakuru bagged the Challenge Trophy by silencing JKUAT 33-0.
Nakuru II retained the Division Two crown by edging Stingers 5-0.
Oilers head coach Gibson Weru was delighted with the victory.
“A good win for the boys. They showed character and desire and tactical management to get us through,” observed Weru.
