The Hindu : Sport / Hockey : Assam downs Punjab

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Sunday, Feb 11, 2007
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Sport - Hockey

Assam downs Punjab

Special Correspondent

GUWAHATI: Host Assam, bolstering its team with eight outstation players, had the measure of Punjab 5-3 in a Group `B' men's hockey match of the National Games here on Saturday. In another match in the same group, Tamil Nadu, missing three of its key players, was beaten 0-2 by Delhi.

Services was the lone team to win a match in Group `A' by beating Maharashtra by the odd goal in three while the other match between Chandigarh and Orissa ended in a 1-1 draw.

Failing to fire

The newly laid turf, sporting a lot of ripples and creases, owing to hurried job by the German firm, could not provide an excuse to the Tamil Nadu team, which failed to combine as a team in the first half and conceded the goals in the 25th and 34th minutes. Though beaten, TN made a number of attacks without much gain owing to poor finish by Ramadoss and Jayaraj.

The two TN defenders Pandian and Alfred had a tough time in the defence in trying to keep the Delhi forwards at bay, as Bijender and Dinesh were quite active with their incisive runs.

Delhi's first goal was scored through a penalty corner converted by Jayanta.

Soni's strike

After Ramadoss missed an opportunity to equalise off a right wing centre from Singaravel, Delhi struck the second goal. In a quicksilver move down the middle, Heera forwarded the ball into the striking circle and A. Soni dived to beat TN custodian Alex David with a firm push.

Host Assam beat Punjab 5-3. C.S. Singh (32nd), Th. Brojan Singh (55th), Sameer Dad (57 and 63) and Sanjeev (65) scored for Assam while Gangandeep Singh (10, 61) and Satinder Singh (54) netted for Punjab.

Sunday would feature four women's matches.

The results: Group `A': Services bt Maharashtra 2-1; Chandigarh drew with Orissa 1-1.

Group `B': Assam bt Punjab 5-3; Tamil Nadu lost to Delhi 0-2.

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