The Hindu : Sport / Hockey : Jharkhand dethrones Orissa

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jun 13, 2004

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Sport - Hockey

Jharkhand dethrones Orissa

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, JUNE 12. Jharkhand dethroned Orissa to lift the 35th ONGC Junior National women's hockey championship here on Saturday.

Jharkhand's skipper Asunta Lakra netted the winner in the dying minutes.

With its forwards — Binita Xess, Saritha Hanuman and Binita Kindo — effecting some crisp short passes kept the ball in Jharkhand's half for most of the time.

A penalty corner in the eighth minute was foiled by the Jharkhand defence, while Orissa's closest possible chance of scoring came in the 29th minute. Skipper Saritha Hanuman pounced on a loose ball and made a charge into Jharkhand's goal area. Dodging well past the defence, Saritha had only Mamta Tigga to beat. She, however, could only hit the side of the net.

On another occasion, Sangita Minz sprawled full length on the turf trying desperately to deflect the ball into the goal but missed by a whisker.

Jharkhand had more scoring opportunities during the match but always encountered some superb defence from Orissa girls.

Sarita Karketta and Pravsini Ekka excelled themselves with some amazing stickwork.

Once during the fourth penalty corner, Savitha Karketta made a goal-line save after Asunta Lakra had pushed in a rebound. Asunta had earlier hit the crosspiece off the second penalty corner. Orissa's goalkeeper Poonam Toppo also was in sparkling form saving a number of push ins.

With the honours shared till the last minute it appeared that the match would go into the extra time.

Jharkhand was, however, destined to take the cup and off the last-minute achieved a penalty corner. Referee Radha Sukumaran had blown the whistle signalling the corner and half-a-minute later the final whistle was blown. Asunta Lakra made no mistake in converting the penalty corner

Poonam Toppa of Orissa was declared the `best goal-keeper' and Karnataka was given the `fairplay trophy.'

Manipur finished third beating Haryana 2-1. S. Ranjita (17th) and Th. Ranjitha (19th) scored for Manipur, while Harpreet Kaur found the target for Haryana.

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