Sosian Energy bounce back in Moi Cup

Gideon Moi ( in Red helmet)of Play With Fitness battles for the ball against a Johnny Walker player during the Kesier Trophy polo match at the Manyatta Polo Club in Nakuru.[Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

After a bad start, Sosian Energy made a formidable comeback to defeat Offbeat Safaris 9-7 to enhance their chances of lifting the Moi Cup in a thrilling match at Manyatta Polo Club in Gilgil on Saturday.

Sosian Energy team of Kimoi Moi, Craig Millar, Izzy Stichbury and Phyllipa Gulden improved on their second game, having suffered a 7-3 drubbing against Bioline in their opening match.

On Saturday, it was a do or die for the winners (Sosian Energy), as it seemed their victory could be elusive after playing their hearts out and receiving the same from their opponents in the free-scoring match.

"On the first day, it was not good for us since we failed to convert five begging opportunities that came our way, which could have made all the difference," Craig (Millar) said in a pre-match interview.

Again, he confessed to having had younger horses that could not put up with the pressure in the first match.

"In our first match, I used younger horses, which couldn't weather the pressures that was in it," he said.

In the second match that was full of short and long penalty kicks for both sides, Craig emerged as the top scorer of these free hits with one outstanding 40-yard-defended penalty kick in the third chukka, which attracted applause from the crowd.

Craig ended up scoring seven goals, with Kimoi and Gulden returning the rest.

And with the full support of Raph Nzomo, who had a good afternoon in all four chukkas, international handicap 4 Archie Voorspuy returned six of the seven goals in the four-chukka encounter.

Jack Toto, who came in for Nick Millar, scored the seventh goal for the losers.

In the second match of the same tournament (Moi Cup), NCBA kept their winning streak after they registered their second consecutive victory against Bioline, whom they narrowly beat 6.5-6.

The results left NCBA on top of the table standings with six points from two matches, ahead of Bioline (13 goals against 9.5) and Sosian Energy (12 goals against 14), who tie on three points each, but the former has a superior goals aggregate.

Offbeat Safaris are trailing with no point after losing their two matches.