Pirates off the mark, send Kobs into abyss
The contest between Kobs (in green) Pirates was very close. PHOTO/JOHN BATANUDDE
What you need to know:
Pirates had a brace from winger Arnold Atukunda and a try apiece from Harunah Muhammad and Sydney Gongodyo to stay in charge.
Stanbic Black Pirates defeated KCB Kobs 24-20 at Kings Park Arena to return to winning ways.
Having lost their opening games of the season, both sides were looking to get off the mark in the new-look Nile Special Rugby Championship.
And it was the Sea Robbers who celebrated in the end, while the Kobs players and officials expressed their displeasure towards centre referee Gonzaga Mayanja.
Pirates had a brace from winger Arnold Atukunda and a try apiece from Harunah Muhammad and Sydney Gongodyo to stay in charge.
Marvin Odongo’s charges scored the first try inside the first ten minutes through Muhammad.
Gongodyo then added another, which was converted by Ivan Magomu to hand the home side a 12-00 lead.
Rasul Abiriga responded with a penalty to get the visitors onto the scoreboard.
Abiriga’s boot was called upon once again after Saul Kivumbi’s try.
He split the uprights for the conversion and added another penalty moments later to get Kobs within four points (17-13) as the two sides went into the halftime break.
Pirates had to negotiate 10 minutes early in the second half with a man short following Eric Mulamula’s yellow card but they held on to keep the visitors scoreless in that period.
The game looked settled when Muhammad set up Atukunda for his second try of the game. Magomu converted to hand the home side a 24-13 lead and send the crowd into early celebrations.
Kobs, however, responded quickly through Alhajji Manano, who caught the Pirates defence napping from a quick start.
Abiriga easily converted to cut the deficit to four points (24-20).
Victor Wadiya’s charges pushed for a late try but the Pirates’ defence kept them at bay, with the referee blowing the final whistle after the ball became unplayable under a collapsed maul.
Kobs settled for the losing bonus point to make it two points from the opening two games of the season, having lost 18-15 to the Jinja Hippos in the opener.
Pirates, meanwhile, bounced back from that 16-12 defeat to Heathens and moved to five points.
