Defending champions Gor Mahia leapfrogged Ulinzi Stars into third place on the Kenyan Premier League table after whitewashing relegation candidates Chemelil Sugar 4-0 at Kisumu’s Moi Stadium yesterday.

Ex-Ulinzi Stars forward Samuel Onyango opened the scores when he rifled in a low shot from distance after 22 minutes.

Gor players looked rejuvenated by the two-day camp in Homa Bay as they exercised total dominance over their hosts.

Onyango had earlier missed a sitter when skipper Kenneth Muguna put him through on goal but his 22nd minute spectacular effort adequately atoned for earlier miss.

K’Ogalo were not in top gear and struggled to break down the millers whose plan glaringly switched to damage limitation after Onyango’s goal.

Chances came and went for K’Ogalo and Chemelil went to the break lucky to keep the score in singular.

Their spirited resistance received a major blow when two minutes into the second half Onyango popped up with his second to double K’Ogalo’s lead.

Financial woes

A defensive lull in the Chemelil backline allowed Nicholas Kipkirui to thread the ball in the danger area under little pressure and Onyango ambitiously bundled the loose ball into the net with a poacher’s instinct.

K’Ogalo were then made to wait until the 69th minute before getting their third through Boniface Omondi who let fly a rasping shot into Daniel Kiptoo’s goal.

Kipkirui then added the fourth three minutes later before K’Ogalo reduced their intensity.

The victory pushed Gor to within two points of leaders Tusker who are on 37 points.

K’Ogalo still have two games in hand but the financial woes bedeviling the club could scupper their chances for a fourth straight title.

The team has beefed up its ranks with Ghanian midfielder Jackson Owusu from Asante Kotoko and Ugandan midfielder Juma Balinya from Young Africans of Tanzania.

They have also added three youngsters from the local leagues as they bid to prevent more players from walking out.

“We are doing well under the circumstances and I want to thank my players for staying focused and keeping us on course for the title.

It is still too early but we have to believe and play each game at a time with that in mind.

We have not had many sessions of training in the last 30 days and that hurt us a bit but things are looking up,” said Gor coach Steven Polack.