By RONALD CHAWE –
KPF 26 Eagles 16
KITWE Playing Fields (KPF) thumped visiting Green Eagles in a tightly contested Week-11 match at Spoilers Den in Kitwe to establish a healthy 10-point lead at the helm of the National Rugby league over now second placed Green Buffaloes.
The visitors started this game with intent and it was no surprise they placed a try through Thaddius Chipoya who added a penalty to that to go up 8-0 but Benaya Mukwamba reduced the arrears with two penalties for the home side to go to the interval trailing 8-6.
After the break, KPF took over proceedings with George Mwamba and Carlos Kanyama each placing a try that were both converted by Charles Tembo before Mukwamba spiced up the win with two drop goals to send the Maybin Sinkala coached team to 46 points.
Eagles, who could only reduce the scores in the dying minutes of the game by scoring a try and a drop goal through Martin Chisanga and George Mwape respectively, dropped to fifth place from fourth with 31 points.
Nchanga 6 Buffaloes 46
Buffaloes took advantage of out-of-action duo of champions Red Arrows and Diggers, to jump into the second place after silencing winless Nchanga with the biggest score of the weekend.
Nchanga, who are without a win in nine attempts, scored two penalties through Kanyanta Lombe, but were not enough to hand them a first win.
On the other side, Larry Kaushiku inspired his Zambia Army side by scoring a hat-trick of tries which were complemented by Chola Chilufya, Richard Kapoma, Raphael Mulenga, and Carlos Kanyembe’s tries while Sotho Kafwimbi, Ferdinand Kashimoto and Niven Kunda took turns at converting them.
This win gave Buffaloes a bonus point that took them to 36 points, three better than third and fourth placed Arrows and Diggers, who now have three games in hand each.
the ‘Men At Work game against Mufulira -A was postponed as the former had many injuries while the Air Wolves’ were on bye.
Lusaka 6 Mufulira- B 3
‘Powerhouse’ Lusaka edged Mufulira B in a compact tie that saw Temwani Koloko score two penalties to help his side improve on the points tally to 28 points but remained stuck on sixth position.
Losers Mufulira- B, who put up a brave game, got a consolation penalty by Gabriel Mungalaba and received a bonus point for having lost by less than seven points to take their points tally to 16 points and remained ninth on the table.
In other matches, Konkola beat Kansanshi 10-7 after they scored a try by Cosmas Kayula, which was converted by Cosmas Kayula, who later scored a penalty to help his team move to 10th from 12th slot with 13points.
Kansanshi, who scored a try through Moses Kwenda, which was converted by Mukuka Mutale, plus a bonus point for having lost by less than seven points have three points in nine games.
‘Killer Bees’ Ndola Wanderers failed to use a home ground advantage when they allowed Chibuluma to beat them 7-5.