Former national hockey champions Kenya Police will be looking to arrest their poor run when they take on Western Jaguars at the City Park Stadium tomorrow.
The law enforcers have turned from title contenders to also-rans. They have drawn once and lost two of their last three matches to leave them fourth with 18 points, 15 behind leaders Butali.
Kennedy Kibweche remains sidelined while Robert Masibo is a doubt. Coach Patrick Mugambi wants the gunmen to rediscover their form.
"We need to return to winning ways. Injuries, coupled with the departure of our best strikers in Calvins Kanu and Amos Barkibir have been our downfall. We have to get all the points to end the season strongly. We beat them 5-3 in Kakamega so we are not worried," said Mugambi.
Jaguars' captain Aaron Kutwa said they are prepared for a gruelling weekend, which starts with a clash against Wazalendo today.
He said: "Police are a physical side who can run for the entire game without exhaustion so we have to be strong. Defensive lapses cost us in the first leg but we should have no excuses this time."
On the prospect of facing Fidelis Kimanzi's ruthless side, he remarked: "Wazalendo is a pacy, fluid team. We will have to deal with their counter-attacks and break their link-up play by marking their key players. We have what it takes to overpower them."
Fifth-placed Jaguars, with 17 points, will move to third if they win their two games. However, Police will remain fourth even if they win.
Elsewhere, United States International University USIU-A Mashujaa play relegation-threatened Parklands. The students will capitalise on the team's low confidence to get maximum points and revenge should be on the cards having lost 3-2 in the season opener.
Kenyatta University women's side, Titans have a duplex assignment. They face Sailors, who knocked USIU's title hopes off balance with a 2-1 clinical display and will be out to prove a point once more. Clifford Nyangwara's charges, on the other hand, got their campaign back on track after getting a rare draw against hard-to-beat Lakers in a 2-2 draw.
Nyangwara previously stated that the team will be banking on varsity derbies for survival and the match against Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology JKUAT tomorrow will be the perfect opportunity to prove his credentials. KU and JKUAT are seventh and eighth with three and two points respectively.
A scoreless draw was witnessed in the first leg and with both teams still searching for a first win, it remains to be seen who will come out on top.
