HHIL Match No.6: Poor precision and body play dominate as Delhi and Ranchi settle for 2-2 draw

Poor tackles, and poorer penalty corner conversions were the features of the HHIL Match No.6 which saw defending Champions Delhi Waverirders struggle to hold on to a handsome first quarter 2-0 lead but had to end the match on a 2-2 draw to home side Ranchi Rays.

Poor body tackles and aimless running were not the kind of stuff one expects when two seasoned teams, coached by equally seasoned domestic coaches, Cedric D’Souza and Harendra Singh, meet.

But it was the case. Seasoned campaigner Rupinder Pal Singh alone committed such body tackles outside and inside circle that he not only conceded three penalty corners to the aggressive Ranchi side but also earned himself a yellow card suspension.

Manpreet Singh, despite his defence splitting rundowns and dash, brought down forwards on the turf, conceding penalty corners, but it is to be mentioned that its not the manner by which teams got or conceded goals, but the manner the teams allowed to go the chances abegging.

Delhi got six penalty corners, which most of them Rupinder negotiated in vain, while Danish Mujtaba latched on to a long rebound to whack a goal.

Ranchi has got just one less than the Delhi team, but it also did not show any precision despite having Ashley Jackson, who was often on the bench than on the field.

It was also the case with first match hero Barry Middleton, who was very sparingly used.

Its Akashdeep Singh, whose hawkish eye on the dynamic ball that gave the defending champions the lead int he first quarter, and then came the Danish’s goal.

Ranchi reduced the margin off its fifth penalty corner, but before that ever-green Mandeep Singh deflected a parallel pass to post first goal for the home side.

Its second 2-2 draw for Delhi after its draw against UPW on home soils in the first day of the HHIL III.

The ways stalwarts on both sides were used less, like Sardar Singh, Barry, Ashley, it seems coaches preserve their treasure keeping future in mind, as the HHIL 3 is a month long, weary and demanding exercise.

However, the cautious strategy, and poor of show both teams in such specialized area such as penalty corner execution, do not augur well for the goody crowd that turned out in Ranchi today.