Hockey Navi Mumbai and India Rush were engaged in a grim battle for supremacy before the former managed to emerge victorious by clinching a tense 6-5 win in a hard-fought Men’s Open match of the 42nd Willingdon Catholic Gymkhana rink hockey tournament, played at the floodlit WCG turf.
For Navi Mumbai the star performer was Monesh Pujari who scored a hat-trick of goals while Rohan Sawariya struck a brace of goals and Ankur Awadh netted one to clinch the win. India Rush scored through a hat-trick of goals from Neel Amin and one each from the sticks of Mayuresh Bhoir and Kenan Pereira.
Later, a youthful Don Bosco Academy went down fighting to fancied Central Railway 2-5 in another Men’s Open match. Central Railway were well-served by Mohd Nizamuddin who notched up a fine hat-trick and Brijendra Kushwaha who chipped in with two goals to secure the win, while the young Don Bosco lads scored through Mario Fernandes and Saurabh Mayekar.
Results – Women Open: Don Bosco Academy 1 (Shanghai C.) beat Sai NCOE Mumbai ‘A’ 0.
Sai NCOE Mumbai ‘B’ 5 (Beena Pandey 3, Kavita K., Shivani Sahu) beat Sea View SC 0.
Men’s Open: Hockey Navi Mumbai 6 (Monesh Pujari 3, Rohan Sawariya 2, Ankur Awadh) beat India Rush 5 (Neel Amin 3, Mayuresh Bhoir, Kenan Pereira).
Central Railway 5 (Mohd Nizamuddin 3, Brijendra Kushwaha 2) beat Don Bosco Academy 2 (Mario Fernandes, Saurabh Mayekar).
CTC Blue 3 (Tyron Pereira, Taleb Shah, Akshay Avhad) beat Mumbai Customs 1 (Muthanna B.).