With only 14 minutes left on the clock, Benson Omala brought life to an otherwise drab encounter to hand Gor Mahia three points at the expense of KCB FC in a Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKFPL) clash staged at the Thika Sub County Stadium.Heading into the game K’Ogalo were reeling after their 2-0 loss at the hands of reigning champions Tusker FC last time out that realistically extinguished their hopes of recapturing the title as they now trailed log leaders Kakamega Homeboyz by 12 points.KCB were enduring their worst slump of the season after winning just two of their last 15 games, a run that has seen them plummet the standings and effectively out of the title race.The two teams paused for a minute of silence to pay tribute to the third President of Kenya Emilio Mwai Kibaki who died on Friday at the age of 91.The somber mood dumpened the early proceedings as the game was off to slow start with the first real chance coming at the quarter hour mark when Boniface Omondi let loose of a thunderbolt from outside the 18-yard area that sailed just wide off the mark.Boniface was the most lively K’Ogalo player on the pitch and was at it five minutes later when his cross found George ‘Blackberry’ Odhiambo but they could not roll back the years as the latter’s header could not find the target.KCB were dominating possession but lacked the cutting edge to curve open the Gor Mahia defense as they sparingly tested the palms of Gad Mathews but Andreas Spier’s charges could have gone into the half time break with a lead when Austin Odhiambo’s freekick was deflected wide to miss the angle between the post and the bar.The second half started with a bit more impetus as Sydney Lokale broke free on the left flank but Philemon Otieno who was playing as a center back recovered well to apply pressure on the former Kariobangi Sharks forward who went down but the referee waved away the penalty shout from KCB two minutes into the closing stanza.Gor Mahia almost broke the deadlock in the 70th minute when John Macharia whipped in a pin point cross that was nodded towards goal by Samuel Onyango but Nashon Alembi was in hand to clear the ball off the line with KCB taking time to clear their lines which Andika finally recovering to gather the ball and out an end to the goal mouth melee.After knocking on KCB’s door relentlessly without finding a breakthrough, the deadlock in the 76th minute when Philemon Otieno delivered a sublime freekick that found Benson Omalla unmarked to guide his diving header into the roof of the net as he wheeled away in celebration.Gor Mahia sat deep to defend their lead and did a commendable job limiting KCB to only one chance which Derrick Otanga fired over the bar as the Bankers suffered back to back defeats.KCB XI: Gabriel Andika, Baraka Badi (Henry Onyango 64′), Robinson Kamura, Nashon Alembi, Hillary Wandera, Michael Mutinda, Brian Ochieng, Michael Oduor (Samuel Mwangi 58′), Regan Otieno (Derrick Otanga 58′), John Mwangi, Sydney Lokale (James Mazembe 79′).Subs: David Okello, Dennis Odhiambo.Gor Mahia XI: Gad Mathews, Ochuoga (Geoffrey Ochieng 46′), Dennis Ng’ang’a, Philemon Otieno, Joshua Onyango, Ernest Wendo, Austin Ochieng (Peter Lwasa 62′), Alpha Onyango, Boniface Omondi (John Macharia 62′), Benson Omalla, George Odhiambo (Sammy Onyango 62′).Subs: Caleb Otieno, Parmenas Ochola, Peter Oudu, John Ochieng, Jules Ulimwengu.
