Tusker head gaffer Robert Matano has extolled his charges after they surmounted a tough challenge to squeeze out a slim 1-0 win over Bandari at Ruraka grounds on Wednesday.
Center-back Clyde Senaji put the brewers ahead with a 35th-minute rasping shot about 25 yards out that caught Bandari custodian napping in goal.
Matano now reckons they are well on course for a successful title defence after the win took them to ninth spot on the log with 23 points, 10 points behind leaders Kakamega Homeboyz.
“The boys put in a splendid performance and we most definitely deserved the win. The spirited performance we put in especially in the second half was commendable by all standards,” said Matano.
“We can only hope for a better performance in our subsequent fixtures and especially when we meet Bandari next away at Mbaraki this weekend,” he added.
Tusker have blown both hot and cold this season and Matano hopes for improved performance as the competition gathers momentum.
“We have always begun our fixtures on a low note but somehow we get to pick up along the way. That's exactly what is happening this time around.”
As Matano celebrated his win, his opposite number Casa Mbungo decried the absence of his luminaries from Wednesday's fixtures, insisting their absence informed the outcome.
“The absence of our key players impacted negatively on our performance. We lacked the services of Faraj Minde and Whyvonne Isuza in the midfield,” said Mbungo.
“We are meeting them in the reverse fixtures on Sunday and we hope to turn the tide at home,” he added.
Eager to restore parity, Mbungo effected a triple substitution at the restart, bringing on Kevin Kimani, William Wadri, and Hassan Abdalla to sharpen the blunt attack.
The brewers, however, had better plans and it wasn't long before they piled successive inroads on their opponents' territory.
John Njuguna's long-range attempt about 20 yards out swirled wide at the far corner before a more ambitious effort by Ojok greased the crossbar.
Tusker gaffer Matano made a double substitution in the 75th minute, introducing Deogradius Ojok and Jackson Macharia for Ibrahim Joshua and David Majak
Whereas Wednesday's win left brewers to ninth on the log with 23 points while Bandari are sixth with 25.
