The Hindu : Sport / Hockey : Bharat Petroleum routs PNB

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 23, 2005

Sport

Sport - Hockey

Bharat Petroleum routs PNB

By Our Sports Reporter

NEW DELHI, FEB. 22. Strikers Tushar Khandekar and Amar Aiyamma came up with splendid performances as Bharat Petroleum defeated Punjab National Bank (PNB) 5-1 in the Maharaja Ranjit Singh hockey tournament at the Shivaji Stadium here on Tuesday.

Khandekar opened the scoring and then provided the finishing touches with a fluent reverse-hit as Bharat Petroleum shut PNB out of the tournament. Bharat Petroleum meets Namdhari XI in the next round on Wednesday.

Khandekar and Aiyamma revelled as Sandeep Michael played a perfect playmaker. Bharat Petroleum took the early lead when Aiyamma rushed upfront from the centre before setting up Michael. PNB defenders had marked him but Michael cleared the ball back for an unmarked Khandekar, who found the goal in the second minute.

Ten minutes later, a similar move started by S. S. Gill had Aiyamma finding the net. The bank team was torn apart as Bharat Petroleum controlled the pace of the match. Aiyamma earned the first penalty corner and the expert, Len Aiyappa, made no mistake, scooping in for a 3-0 lead. Just before the half-time, an unmarked Michael failed to collect Aiyamma's cross from the right.

After change of ends, the Petroleum team improved its lead when Aiyappa slotted in. PNB tried hard but wasted three penalty corners, though Sukhpal Singh found a consolation goal on a rare lapse by the Petroleum side.

Ten minutes from close, Khandekar cleared the ball from the centre and cut towards the right before he executed a reverse hit on the run to make it 5-1.

Earlier, Sikh Regimental Centre, Ramgarh, beat Indian Navy 2-1 and booked a crucial tie with Air India. Satnam Singh (Sr.) and Rajpal Singh converted penalty corners to help the Sikh Regimental Centre (SRC) rally against Navy, which had taken the lead in the second minute through forward Satish Kumar.

But a complacent Navy team wasted four penalty corners while SRC had 50 percent conversion rate.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport