Punjab National Bank (PNB), Delhi recorded their second win on the trot defeating last year’s runners-up CAG (Comptroller & Auditor General) of India, Delhi 4-3 in the concluding Pool ‘C’ league match of the Union Bank of India & IDBI Bank-51st All India Bombay Gold Cup Hockey Tournament, organized by the Mumbai Hockey Association Limited (MHAL) and played at the MHAL-Mahindra Stadium on Wednesday afternoon. The tournament is being conducted under the auspices of Hockey India.
Indian Navy attacker Nitin Pawar (right) tries to get past Western Railway defender Amit Gowda during their Pool-D league match
Recent winners of the All India Surjit Singh Memorial Hockey Tournament, Punjab National Bank, who had earlier defeated Delhi XI 2-1, topped the three-team pool with 6 points to progress to the quarter-final round. Both CAG and Delhi, who had shared honours in a 3-3 draw in the opening pool tie, finished with four points each and an identical goal-differential of minus one. But, CAG by virtue of having scored more goals (scored 6 and conceded 7) as compared to Delhi (scored 4 and conceded 5) made the knockout round.
CAG started on a positive note and snatched an early lead when Deepanshu Bhargav scored from a field effort in the fourth minute. PNB made a strong reply with Sumit Toppo scoring a field goal in the 15th minute and three minutes later Gagandeep Singh (Jr) converted from a penalty corner to give the bankers a 2-1 half-time lead. On resumption, CAG managed to restore parity when Imran Khan hit the target in the 44th minute.
PNB again struck two quick goals through another penalty corner conversion by Gagandeep in the 51st minute and a field effort by Navin Antil four minute later. CAG fighting to survive from making an exit managed a vital third goal through Deepanshu in the 60th minute, which helped them to secure a place in the next round.
In the second match of the day, Mumbai Super League champions Indian Navy underlined their supremacy over Western Railway as they cruised to a fluent 5-3 win in a Pool ‘D’ clash. Both Navy (6 points) and Western (3 points) finished first and second in the pool and qualified for the quarter-finals. Bombay Republicans, the third team in the pool had lost both their matches.
Navy, who had defeated Western 4-2 in the Super League final last month, took time to get into a rhythm. But once they found their touch they wore down the Western defence with skipper Sajit Lakra scoring from a short corner in the 23rd minute before Bharat Singh got the second also from a penalty corner in the 32nd minute.
Western showed signs of putting up a fight and scored two goals on either side of the break to draw level at 2-2. First Stanley Minz found the target in the 34th minute and then Amit Gowda successfully scored from a penalty corner in the 42nd minute. However, thereafter, Navy went full throttle and in a span of about 10 minutes fired in three goals to take complete charge of the match. In the 54th minute Fahim Khan unmarked inside the striking circle harmed home and three minutes later Kuldeep Singh (Jr.) with a firm drag-flick from a penalty corner scored the fourth goal before Pawan Rajbhar deftly flicked in the fifth goal in the 65th minute. Western managed to get their third through Rajin Kandulina in the 67th minute.
Results – Pool C: Punjab National Bank 4 (Sumit Toppo 15th, Gagandeep Singh 18th, 51st, Navin Antil 55th) beat CAG of India 3 (Deepanshu Bhargav 4th, 60th, Imran Khan 44th).
Pool D: Indian Navy 5 (Sajit Lakra 23rd, Bharat Singh 32nd, Faheem Khan 54th, Kuldeep Singh Jr. 57th, Pawan Rajbhar 65th ) beat Western Railway 3 (Stanley Minz 34, Amit Rohidas 42nd, Rajin Kandulina 67th).
Friday schedule:
2.30 pm: Indian Oil vs Central Railway – Pool ‘B’
4.30 pm: Punjab National Bank vs Hockey Karnataka – Pool ‘A’