The Game week 7 Preview

A happy new 2013 to you all, glad to see you made it into the new year in one piece. If you ever needed any further assurances that it is going to be a good one, just check the first set of fixtures. We’ll be doing that in a short while..

Going into game week 7, KCB lead the way in the top flight with Quins II in top spot in the E.S.S. Masinde Muliro and Kenya Polytechnic lead in the Nationwide leagues, Mombasa II and Catholic University doing the same in the Chairman’s leagues.

The Chairman’s leagues will see little action in the first week, understandably so as most universities are still on recess. The only matches that will take place will be in the Coast edition as follows:

Chairmans League (Coast Edition)
Mombasa II vs Masaku (2pm, MSC)
KEMU Nairobi vs JKUAT Voi (Postponed to 12th Jan)
Spartans vs Shepherds (4pm, Bamburi)
Mombasa Poly vs Pwani University (2pm, Bamburi)

Leaders Mombasa II will look to break away from the pack when they host Masaku on Saturday. They are tied on 14 points with JKUAT Voi whose game against KEMU has been postponed to the 12th. Masaku on the other hand are placed 5th, tied on 10 points with Mombasa Polytechnic (4). The Kilunda are only 4 points from the top, and a bonus win  will see them go top depending on other results.
Other fixtures will see second from last Spartans take on last placed Shepherds, the Shepherds are yet to post points this season and will look to start 2013 with a win. As Mombasa Polytechnic take on Pwani University (6th), on 4 points tied with the Spartans.

In the Nationwide Western Conference where most of the action will take place, leaders Masinde Muliro will host 4th placed Moi University as they look to build on their three point lead. Second placed Kakamega II will travel to play Kisii who are in 7th place. The other fixtures see Siaya (9) host Maseno (6), with Eldoret (3) hosting Bungoma (5).

Nation Wide (Western)
Kisii vs Kakamega II (3pm, Kisii)
Siaya vs Maseno (3pm, Siaya)
Eldoret vs Bungoma (3pm, Eldoret Sports Club)
Masinde Muliro vs Moi University (1pm, Kakamega High)

The Eastern Conference will have little action with only two fixtures on the cards, that between Thika road neighbours USIU (3) and KCA (9) at the USIU grounds with Oryx (6) taking on Mombasa (4).

The Eric Shirley shield kicks off the year in style with leaders Quins II taking on rivals Impala II who are in 5th place, second placed KCB II are 5 points behind the leaders and will be taking on the Catulus who are 3rd, 2 points behind the cubs. At the Nakuru Athletic Club, Nakuru II (4) will play host to Mwamba II (6), the two separated by a mere 3 points. Other matches will see Homeboyz (9) travel to Kisumu to play Kisumu II (12) the hosts yet to put points on the board. Kakamega (10) will host Machine II (8)  with Blakblad II (11) hosting Nondies II (7) at the Blad Bin.

ESS
Kakamega vs Mean Machine II (2pm, Kakamega High School)
Kisumu II vs Homeboyz II (2pm, Kisumu Polytechnic)
Harlequins II vs Impala II (2pm, RFUEA)
Blakblad II vs Nondescripts II (2pm, Kenyatta University)
Nakuru II vs Mwamba II (2pm, Nakuru Athletic Club)
KCB II vs Strathmore II (2pm, Ruaraka)



The top flight sees the battle for the top four slots heat up as we start the new year, as mentioned earlier KCB lead the pack on 29 points the other three slots being held by Nakuru (27) , Strathmore (26) and defending champions Quins (20). The chasing pack are not far behind, led by Mwamba (19), Homeboyz (14) and Western Bulls (12) occupying the next three spots. It might look like a long shot but Nondies and Machine are also in with a shout on 11 points each.

Western Bulls will look to get off to a winning start in 2013 and keep their hopes of a semi final spot alive when they host Machine at the Kakamega High school. The Echulusi ended an impressive 2012 on a losing note going down 35-14 to Strathmore on the 15th of December. Machine who still harbour chances of making it to the semis will know that they can not slip up if they are to make it to the last four, the Eschuma ended 2012 on a winning note beating Kisumu 27-14 at the UoN grounds, they will be looking to build on this result as their season gathers momentum.

Second from last Kisumu on 1 point will be hosting Homeboyz at the Kisumu Polytechnic, the Kondele boys will be looking to register their first win this season. Kisumu ended the year with a 45-8 drubbing at the hands of KCB a win here will do them a load of good. They however come up against a Homeboyz side full of confidence, after what was a shaky start, the Djs have since then picked themselves up and are now in the thick of things, they ended 2012 with a resounding 57-0 win over Blakblad.      

Last placed Blakblad will be playing host to Nondeis at the blad bin, the blaks without a win or a point this far will be looking to start 2013 on the right foot. They would want to forget the end to 2012 pretty fast after what they experienced at the hands of the djs and what better way than a win here? Nondies on the other hand will almost most certainly want to replay the scenes from the last game in 2012 here, claiming that win over Quins. As they still have a mathematical chance to make it to the play offs a slip up here would see the numbers turn against them.

At the Nakuru Athletic Club, the Menengai oil Nakuru will be playing their first home gake in 2013 against Mwamba. The wanyore managed to end the calendar year 2012 unbeaten at home in the league and will be looking to stretch that run into this year. The Wanyore are also yet to lose in this campaign and the odds will be highly in their favour. Nakuru ended last year on a luke warm note, drawing against Impala 15 all they will be out for a better result knowing a win here will give them a chance to go back to the summit of the table. Mwamba on the other hand closed 2012 on a losing note going down 17-10 to current league leaders KCB. They will be working to get back to winning ways to keep their semi final ambitions alive and with the extra motivation of the bragging rights that come with being the first side to beat Nakuru at home in a year, expect the black shirts to come out rocks in hand so to speak.

League leaders KCB will play host to third place Strathmore at the lions den in Ruaraka. The two have had a growing rivalry in recent times with the rise of the Leos, the students becoming a bogey team of sorts having broken KCB hearts several times over the past few years. Both sides ended the calendar year 2012 with impressive wins  KCB over Kisumu and Starthmore over Western Bulls. If last season is anything to go by, this one is going to be a tight affair and with top spot up for grabs it’s going to be a cracker of a match.

The biggest match of the weekend might not have the greatest implications on the race to the semi finals but it still will be the match to watch. The latest installation of the Ngong road derby is here with us as Quins host Impala. Both sides are lacking in form coming into this one (it’s not everyday you get to say that about these two) as Quins are without a win in 3 outings and Impala well lets say a win will do them a whole lot of good. In fact the last time Impala won a 15’s match was at the Floodlights against the same opposition they will be facing on Saturday. The fact that these two have gone that long without tasting victory and the opportunity to break that run here serves to add to the spice of this match.

Kenya Cup
Western Bulls vs Mean Machine (4pm, Kakamega High School)
Kisumu vs Homeboyz (4pm, Kisumu Polytechnic)
Blakblad vs Nondescripts (4pm, Kenyatta University)
Harlequins vs Impala (4pm, RFUEA)
Nakuru vs Mwamba (4pm, Nakuru Athletic Club)
KCB vs Strathmore (4pm, Ruaraka)


Here are my predictions for this block buster weekend:

Western Bulls 25-19 Machine
Kisumu 17-35 Homeboyz
Blakblad 12-37 Nondies
Nakuru 24-20 Mwamba
KCB 32-25 Strathmore
Quins 19-21 Impala

Has to be the hardest set of predictions I’ve done so far..hehe hata ka nimefanya mbili tu..

Finally on my salamz corner..a Happy Birthday to this pair, Duncan ‘danku’ Ekasi of Impala and Fabian
‘Rango’ Olando of KCB…do have yourselves a gudu one gents!!

With that ladies and gentlemen….

KWISHA….Nimeruka Nje!!!


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Poghie

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