Badgers face stern Police test in midweek City Park clash

Defending champions in the men Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) league, Kenya Police, will be looking to boost their quest to retain the title when they visit Parkroad Badgers tomorrow at City Park.

The tie comes amid speculation that Police were involved in match fixing when they pounded Wazalendo Club 16-2 on November 3 at City Park, with Amos Barkibir scoring all the goals; 13 of them coming in the last 10 minutes.

In the wake of match- fixing allegations, KHU executives have summoned officials who manned the match in question and the results have been withheld until the investigations are concluded.

Moses Majiwa, KHU fixture secretary told Citizen Digital that the KHU executives are also meeting with team managers and umpires to address the issue and a determination will be made possibly after the coming weekend.

“It is not normal to have a game of such calibre ending with such kind of results and once we conclude our investigations, a determination will be made either to uphold the results or take any other necessary action,” Majiwa said.

Just a week after the drama that marred this tie, another furore unfolded as a contest between Kanya Police and Nakuru Club never materialized after the umpires failed to show up.

Majiwa has admitted that the union is facing some challenges pointing accusing fingers at the Kenya Hockey Umpires Association (KHUA) for the obvious slip ups.

“One umpire showed up late in Nakuru and the other didn’t. We are yet to receive concrete information as to why this was the case,” Majiwa averred.

With the results for one match being withheld, Kenya Police stands behind KHU league leaders, Butali Warriors, with 48 points in 17 games.

This makes for an explosive contest tomorrow as the law enforcers will jump to 51 points in the event of a win thus being level with leaders Butali.

Butali have been ruthless in front of the goal, finding the net 68 times while their defence has equally been mean; letting in just 13, the least conceded in the league so far.

Police, on the other hand, have fired in 48 times while conceding 16.

Granted and with the delicate arithmetic at play, the battle for the honours could go to the wire with Police penciled to face off with Butali on the final day of action on December 9.

Aware of this ramifications, Police will be angling for nothing short of a win when they aim their swords on Park road Badgers.

Badgers, on their part, will be looking to record their sixth win in the league when they collide with the law enforcers after thumping third placed Greensharks 3-1 over the weekend at the same venue.

Following the huge win, Badgers jumped out of the relegation zone to position seven with 22 points from 19 games.