Ilorin club Kwara United, once again slumped out of the Glo Premier League after just a season in the top division. Npfl.ng's Sam Nnaji digs out here why their season went awry.

Looking back at their 'all attack but no end product' display against Dolphins on the Glo Premier League opening day, it just symbolizes their entire season - all huff and puff but nothing concrete enough to ensure a Premier League stay after promotion to the top-flight only a year ago.

However did it go wrong for this group of strong, energetic players who lit up Match Day One's fixtures? Poor recruitment? Technical efficiency or were there issues behind the scenes that hindered the progress of a club that produced many of the league's decent players today? The slump appeared to have been halted with the temporary dismissal of the gaffer but a 1-2 home defeat to Sunshine Stars in September reinstated them in the relegation dogfight and when they drew 1-1 with fellow relegation strugglers Bayelsa United, they confirmed their place in the second tier, the Nigeria National League (NNL), for next season.

Five points out of nine with two out of the three fixtures being away from home in a league such as ours is as impressive as it gets especially for a newly promoted team. But however did this team lose their way? One may never know. Draws in Bauchi and in Jalingo deserve commendation but how about a 2-1 away win at FC Ifeanyiubah? Fellow newcomers Wikki Tourists had accomplished the feat weeks prior to scoring just one goal but the Ilorin side bettered that feat by netting twice to win 2-1. A last bright spark that preceded the nosedive that followed weeks later.

It is hard not to look at the performances that sealed their relegation fate as their worst of the championship. No doubt displays such as a 3-0 loss to Warri Wolves and a 3-0 defeat to Nasarawa United in Lafia were difficult for the fans to swallow but in spite of those, Kwara United were realistically 'safe.' But they shot themselves in the foot when they let Sunshine Stars overturn a one-goal lead, beating them in Ilorin and pushing them deep into the relegation mire. They never recovered.

Kwara United will return whence they came from only a year ago and on the look of it, a lot of the youngsters who the club's pretty yellow outfit adorned let the championship pass them by. Midfielder Dare Ojo was the shinning light in a team where none of the experienced names rose up to the billing. A battling war-horse, he did offer some threat from midfield but like it is said, a tree cannot make a forest. Good thing is, he most certainly will not be with Kwara United next season, he has earned himself a move to another club in the championship.