One Thousand Hockey Legs one match away from Main round qualification

Novice in the league of biggies – One Thousand Hockey Legs team in the august company of Nehru Sub-Junior Cup – is making right noises.

Combined One Thousand Hockey Legs team, representing 8 schools from Delhi and Puducherry out of 60 schools we run five cities, have famously won both the matches it played so far, and is a match win away from qualifying from the main round.

Combined OTHL started its campaign with a fluent 3-1 win over Champion School of Rajasthan on Saturday.

The match featured a fluent hat-trick from the blade of diminutive dynamo Mukul Sharma of Sarvodaya Bal Vidyala, Subhas Nagar, New Delhi.

Today, pitted against the Champions School of West Bengal, the Combined OTHL team emerged victories by the narrowest of the margins.

The Kolkata based school surprised the NGO team with an early goal, but the OTHL team fought hard and started moving like a well oiled machined slowly and steadily.

Benefiting from a gem of a cross from the right flank off the lean but effective Brijgopal Patra, medio Vikas Paswan (Govtr Sr. Hr. Sec. School, Begumpur, Delhi) played his captaincy role to perfection. He tapped the ball on the top of circle, took a small body swerve before effecting his patent forehand shot, that crashed into the net to the right corner.

The team dispersed for lemon break with goals even.

On resumption, the match was played evenly, a couple of forwards giving torrid time to hardworking OTHL defence of Pawan Kumar and Rohit Gharai. The duo have proved their worth with neat tackle and interception, that kept the hope of their side’s win.

A couple of minutes before the hooter, after OTHL has wasted all the seven penalty corners they earned in the match, three in the second session alone, the winner came from no where.

Abhisek Rana intercepted a midfield pass, passed it to right flank where again Brigopal picked up and effected only a feeble shot. Even as a couple of defenders tried to stop it, OTHL team took it to the circle, and from close range ever-alert M. Manikandan (Puducherry OTHL) spotted his chance and did the rest.

Mani has actually compensated with this gem of close range goal for the penalty corner misse, as he was OTHL’s mainstay at the penalty corner drills.

With six points in two matches, OTHL team now is second in the Pool C behind Army Boys Training School, Bangalore, who also won both their matches but with better goal aggregate and difference.

The format is such that that only the pool topper will move to the next round, where six teams are seeded directly.

“We play technically well, our tackle has been improving, and it was good today. But what will count tomorrow is physical fitness. Our boys are start up whereas the Army team is seasoned one, almost a pro team. However, we will use all our energies to give a good fight”, said AK Bansal, manager of the team.

The crucial third match is billed for tomorrow morning 10.30 hrs.