Warriors bullish ahead of mighty test with Badgers

Butali Sugar Warriors have a chance of going third on the log when they tackle Parkroad Badgers on Wednesday evening in a mid-week Kenya Hockey Union Men’s Premier League match at City Park Stadium, Nairobi.

Warriors coach, Godfrey Wakachungu, anticipates an explosive encounter but is optimistic that they will post good results despite the absence of two key players.

“Parkroad boys are good, they’ve just lost one match in their last five outings and we believe they will not let anything to chance,” he said.

“Two of our key players, Set Oburu- midfielder and Billy Mollah- striker, did not travel with us but with their absence we can still stun our rivals,” he added.

Being a week day, Oburu and Mollah did not accompany the team to Nairobi due to tight work schedules.

The lake side team has conceded 13 goals whilst keeping seven clean sheets in the process. They sit fourth on the log with 36 points from 16 matches. Victory will move them to third on 39 points, dislodging United States International University (USIU) on 38 points.

Butali, the 2015 champions, have been on fine form when playing away; winning four, drawing two and losing one.

The sugar millers have played four games less compared to other teams in the league owing to the tense political atmosphere which put the travel plans of some of their players who are based in Kisumu in jeopardy– as they could not travel to Nairobi to honour the fixtures.

The Godfrey Wakuchungu led side suffered a 3-1 meltdown to second placed Green Sharks in their first match of the second leg two weeks ago but improved on their work play against Nakuru, stunning the latter 4-1.

Meanwhile, Pakroad will be out to bounce back from their 2-0 defeat to top seed Green Sharks in their last match.

The Badgers are currently placed seventh on 29 points and a victory will haul them to position six, dislodging 2012 winners, Sikh Union Nairobi, from sixth spot in the 15-team league.