KCB are through to the Kenya Cup final after defeating Menengai Oilers 21-11 in a tight semifinal fixture at the KCB Sports Club on Saturday.
Darwin Mukidza kicked KCB ahead with a penalty midway through the first half before two Abutwalib Wesonga penalties saw Oilers go 6-3 up in what was an arm-wrestle of a match.
Vincent Onyala, on as an injury replacement for Trevor Odawa then scored for KCB at the stroke of halftime, his effort giving the hosts an 8-6 lead at the break.
The second half remained tentative, the tension palpable on the pitch and in the bleachers as both sides continued to prod each other, Mukidza and Wesonga trading two penalties apiece, the scores 14-12 to KCB with 17 minutes left on the clock.
It remained close as the game wore on, Oilers losing a lineout late in the match, Persian Kolian retrieving the ball and making an incisive run before offloading to Bob Muhati who scored under the post to seal the win for the bankers.
Mike Wamalwa converted to confirm the result and a date in the final in Kakamega on Saturday 6 April against Kabras Sugar who defeated Nondies 37-9 in the other semifinal at the Kakamega Showground.
Speaking after the game, KCB RFC Assistant Coach Denis Mwanja said: “We are very happy with the win today. The boys were solid even though we made some errors in our lineouts and knock ons. We picked up a few things about Kabras Sugar when we played them in the last match of the league phase of the season and we will be ready to face them again in the finals.”