Nairobi — Tusker FC finally found their winning ways when they defeated Bandari 2-1 in a tension charged Kenyan Premier League match at the Mombasa Municipal Stadium on Sunday.

The beer makers, who had gone six matches without a win prompting the sacking of long-serving coach Jacob "Ghost" Mulee, scored two easy goals against a disjointed Bandari defence which gave former international goalkeeper Wilson Obungu no cover.

John Keo netted the match opener in the 12th minute when he pounced onto a Jamal Mohammed poor clearance to beat Obungu with a low shot.

Particularly kept busy

Sensing danger, Bandari piled up a lot of pressure but were kept at bay by the hard working Tusker defence marshalled by former Coast Stars defender Crispin Odula and goalkeeper Joseph Ruto.

Ruto was particularly kept busy on the stroke of half time when he was forced to make daring saves, first from an Anthony Dafaa free kick, which he pushed over the bar, and the resultant corner kick which he dived full length to push out.

Bandari came to the second half a rejuvenated side and were rewarded on the 54th minute when Abdulwahab Musa drilled into the far corner of the net a defense splitting pass from Salim Kinje for an equaliser after Anthony Dafaa had done the spade work.

Bandari made two changes bringing Kevin Ngugi and Anthony Katana for Sebastian Hadiangu and Dafaa while Tusker brought in Justus Awene and Ken Wendo for Oscar Kadenge and John Kio changes which worked positively for Tusker but totally slowed Bandari's game.

Goal bound corner kick

Awene was particularly a thorn in the flesh of the Bandari defenders whom he bullied with his big size twice coming close to scoring.

It did not, therefore, come as a surprise when Tusker went ahead in the 64th minute when Osborn Monday helped into the net an Edward Kauka goal bound corner kick with the entire defense well beaten.

Desperate for an equaliser, Bandari's talented goalkeeper Obungu went upfront to beef up the striking force leaving his goal unguarded for three minutes but in vain.

Speaking after the match, Tusker stand in coach Neville Pudo praised the players for the win and predicted the team would win the remaining matches.

"This might be the turning point for the team after six matches without a win because I have not changed anything in the team set up since Mulee's departure", Pudo who has been Tusker assistant coach for over a decade said.

He said he had only motivated the players and urged them to remain focused, a move he said did the magic.

Bandari coach, Twahir Muhidin, said it was one of those bad days and partly blamed the defeat on holy month of Ramadhan which has seen three quarters of the team involved in the fasting during this holy month.

Line-up: Bandari: Wilson Obungu,Athman Kibwana, Didacus Ochieng, Mohammed Masoud, Jama Hassanali, Ali Abdallah, Sabastian Hadiangu Clement Anthony(Kevin Ngugi), Abdluwahab Musa, Salim Kinje and Hussein Abdulrazak.

Tusker: Joseph Ruto, Crispin Odula, Humphrey Okoti, John Njoroge, Monday Hosborn, Jerry Santos, Robson Dondo, Edward kauka, Oscar Kadenge (Ken Wendo), Simon Mburu and John Keo (Justus Awene).

Other scores: Ulinzi 1 Red Berets 0; Mahakama 1 Mathare Youth 1; World Hope 0 Sher 0.

Nationwide league: Sofapaka 3 Bidco 0 (Sofapaka join Premier League with three matches to go.).