Mombasa Sports Club (MSC) held onto their lead at the top of the National Men’s League after a barren draw with Daystar University on Sunday morning, a result that saw the students drift further from the top three.
The match reflected contrasting emotions—MSC balancing ambition with caution, and Daystar grappling with frustration—after both coaches admitted their recent performances “haven’t been anywhere near the levels required.”
MSC, who have maintained consistency to stay top, opened their review with an honest self-assessment. Head coach Fredrick Arika conceded, “ We let ourselves down in key moments, especially when we switch off in transition.”
He stressed that being league leaders “doesn’t mean we are playing perfect hockey.”
He called for sharper penalty-corner execution and warned his side against complacency, noting that leadership ‘brings pressure and responsibility’. Arika highlighted lapses in defensive rotation, including wide channels left exposed, and said the team will address the issues through better communication, quicker recovery runs and selective rotation of senior players to manage fitness.
Arika urged his players to “attack training sessions with the same hunger we show on matchday” as MSC look to tighten structures ahead of another demanding weekend. Daystar University were equally candid after another inconsistent display.
Coach Ian Smith described their season as “a story of missed chances and costly lapses,” saying that while the team has shown promise, “potential alone can’t collect points.”
Smith pointed to poor finishing, weak defensive set-pieces and fading concentration in the final quarter as key concerns. He admitted their structure “hasn’t held long enough in tight matches” and called for clearer positional roles and improved physical conditioning.
To stabilise the side, Daystar will work on penalty-corner defence and goalkeeping positioning as short-term fixes. Historically, their best moments against MSC have come through counterattacks and brief spells of pressure, though rarely enough to tilt results in their favour. Smith challenged his players to deliver “honest effort, sharper detail and bravery” as Daystar enter a must-improve stretch next week, targeting stability, confidence and the small gains needed to find long-awaited consistency.
by CHARLENE MALWA
