•"We want to become a possession-based team and control the midfield. Our transition also needs to be swift especially from midfield to attack," Senge, the former national men's coach highlighted.
•Elsewhere, defending champions Butali Warriors managed a 2-1 win over Sailors.
Despite walloping Wazalendo 4-1 in the Kenya Hockey Union men's Premier League match at the City Park Stadium on Sunday, Strathmore Gladiators want to plug holes in midfield and work on transition in order to become a nightmare to opposition team.
Gladiators bounced back to winning ways after losing two encounters.
The varsity side made light work of Wazalendo with Nicholas Muchiti giving Meshack Senge's charges a second-minute lead.
Brian Gitau doubled the lead with his rasping shot finding the back of the net in the 32nd minute.
Wazalendo halved the deficit via Sutcliffe Usagi's 48th-minute flick but any hope of a comeback were dashed as Brian Nyabuto and Gideon Mshindi scored two quick-fire goals in the 50th and 53rd minutes respectively to seal the victory.
"We want to become a possession-based team and control the midfield. Our transition also needs to be swift especially from midfield to attack," Senge, the former national men's coach highlighted.
"We are not yet where we want to be. I will continue pushing the lads harder in training so that Strath becomes a hard-to-beat team."
His counterpart, Ndungu Njogu, said the Gladiators were the better side and deserved the victory. He was irked by the sluggishness in his players' decision-making but promised to give Butali a run for their money in their next assignment.
"Our opponents were superior. They took their chances, controlled the match and deserved maximum points. I am not trying to give out excuses but our ball handling needs to move a notch higher if we are to match Butali," said Njogu.
Elsewhere, defending champions Butali Warriors managed a 2-1 win over Sailors.
Festus Onyango and Francis Kariuki were on target for the sugar millers, rendering Johnstone Indiazi's strike a consolation. Butali team manager Victor Opere said they had nothing to be proud of in the first half despite their dominance.
"We created chances but we had more off-target shots in the opening quarter. Sailor's strategy of defending deep worked for us. We suffocated them in the second half until they finally surrendered," said Opere.
"The title race is wide open unlike in the past when it was a two-horse race. Every team is a worthy opponent but we want to end the first leg on a high."