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Gor Mahia’s coach Nuttal upbeat on title quest


Gor Mahia head coach Frank Nuttall believes his charges have made the right transition from the Cecafa Club Championship to the domestic league.

Gor returned to the country last week after a stormy run in the regional club championship, claiming a runners up medal in the competition.

The Scot was Sunday left purring after his boys put up a solid performance in a 6-1 win against  Kenya Commercial Bank.

A brace from the Rwandese forward Meddie ‘Lwanda’ Kagere and a goal apiece from Khalid Aucho, Michael ‘Engineer’ Olunga, an own goal by KCB skipper Mark Odhiambo and a fierce drive by Enoch ‘Omuga’ Agwanda, deep in stoppage time completed the rout.

GULF IN CLASS

The poor bankers were simply no match to a clinical Gor Mahia machine and the gulf in class was best epitomised by the neat link-up play between Innocent Wafula and Kagere in the first goal.

The exciting Wafula picked out Kagere with a delicate lob at the edge of the area and the forward made a turn before sending the ball to the back of the net with a precise volley.

It was text book football, the training ground stuff that coaches work so hard to drill into their team, and Nuttall who has now suffered just one defeat in 26 matches in all competitions said: “I’m very delighted. The boys played well and I’m pleased with the transition. You know we just came from the Cecafa Championship where we failed to win the final but the boys responded positively.”

“They needed rest and after a week of recovery, they did well. I had confidence in them.”

He went on: “We are not getting carried away but the aim is always to focus on each game.”

Nuttall was also quick to point out that his bench power is also adding value to the team. Ronald Omino and Agwanda all begun from the bench but were summoned to add power even when the game had already been won.

WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN

For Nuttall, the victory meant a lot. For the first time since he took over the job, his wife and two children followed the action from the main stand and his boys gave a befitting display.

So impressive was K’Ogalo’s performance that KCB’s deputy coach Elvis Ayany also took time to hail them in a post-match interview.

“Gor were ruthless and they have individual brilliance; players who are so good and they were ruthless in counter attacks taking all their chances .When you play such a team, it is important that you don’t make the mistakes we made,”he said.

The Sunday win hauled Gor’s points tally to 49, eight more than second placed Ulinzi Stars.

With three games in hand, K’Ogalo is inching closer to claiming their third consecutive league title and are yet to taste defeat in the league.