Nakuru RFC head coach Felix Oloo lauded his team's character as they came from behind to beat Impala 29-27 in an entertaining Kenya Cup clash on Saturday.
This was the Rift Valley-based side's first win of the season after six consecutive defeats and 14th in total since 2021 season and Oloo believes his charges have turned around a corner and will enable his charges stay in the top tier come next season.
The 2013 and 2014 Kenya Cup champions trailed 15-5 at half time but a pep talk from Oloo turned around the match for the hosts, who moved off the bottom of the log to sit 10th on the log with seven points.
The Kenya Lionesses coach said the side must play with the same intensity for the remaining four fixtures.
"We will take one game at a time but if we play the way we did in the second half, then we can move up the table and survive,” said Oloo.
Try scorers for Nakuru were Leon Nyang, Chrissant Ojwang, Gramwel Bunyasi and Kenya Simbas Lock Thomas Okeyo with Samuel Mwaura scoring a penalty and three conversions.
Impala replied through Ouinto Ongo, Duncan Ekasi, Nato Simiyu and Elkeans Musonye, Ongo adding a penalty while Simiyu kick over two conversions.
Impala head coach Oscar Osir rued the side's errors in the second half. “We could not deal with the aerial balls and they capitalised on our errors to win the match,” he said.
Two teams will be relegated come the end of the season and it looks like the relegation dogfight will be between Impala, Nakuru, Nondies, Blak Blad and Homeboyz.
In other results, Menengai Oilers preserved their 100 percent record with a hard-fought 19-7 win over Strathmore Leos in Madaraka to stay top of the log with 33 points.
Kabras Sugar RFC moved to second on the log with 30 points after a 31-6 bonus-point win over Quins in Kakamega.
Champions KCB secured a bonus point 41-10 victory over visiting Masinde Muliro University at the Lions' Den to move to third spot on the log with 26 points.
Mwamba RFC secured their third consecutive win of the season by beating Homeboyz 25-7 as Blak Blad edged Nondies 20-10.
