By Peter Kyobe
The Nile Special National pool league continued with match day 20 on Sunday at different grounds. In the match broadcast live on NBS SPORT, Greater Mukono earned an 11-9 win over Club 408.
The 4th placed Greater Mukono started as favorites against the 15th Club placed Club 408. The first 6 frames were evenly shared with the score at 3-3, before Greater Mukono won the next 3 frames to open a 3-frame lead.
Club 408 won frame 10 to narrow the gap to 6-4 going into the break.
In the second half, Greater Mukono won frames 11 and 12 before Club 408 quickly responded by winning frames 13 and 14 to have the scores at 8-6.
Greater Mukono won frame 15 through Allan Kayiwa who had come in as a substitute to replace Patrick Ssekilime but Club 408 responded by winning 3 in a row.
At 9-9, it was a moment of unexpected decisive end to the match, with both teams needing to win frames 19 and 20 for the victory.
In frame 19, Greater Mukono’s Najib Matovu took advantage of an unforced error to defeat Timothy Lutaaya while a nervous Club 408’s Patrick Tushime potted the white ball in an attempt to play it closer to his dead ball.
Allan Kayiwa took full advantage and finished the frame to win the match 11-09 for greater Mukono.
However, before he potted the last black, a very excited team-mate Ronald Akampurira moved from the players’ seats to congratulate him with a hug; something which isn’t allowed.
Club 408 protested for about 3 minutes, demanding that the frame be given to them.
However, the umpire ruled that in fair play, the player on the table would not be punished by the mistake of his team-mate, and left the result standing at 11-09.
Club 408 appealed the decision through the competitions’ committee of the Pool Association of Uganda (PAU) and a verdict is expected within the week.
Rox stayed top of the standing with a 13-7 away win over capital while second placed Upper Volta beat Kireka 18-2 at home. Third placed scrap buyers beat Nkawa Rangers 17-3 at home.
Action will resume at a later date after PAU suspended fixtures earlier scheduled for this weekend due to the Ankole pool association Grand Open championship to be held at the St Paul Games –Kijungu, Mbarara.
