EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE
CHANDIGARH
ALATE fight-back by their forwards guided Namdhari XI to a narrow 5-4 win over Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited in a league match of 46th Jindal Steel Senior Nehru Hockey Tournament being played at Sports Complex, Sector 42 on Sunday.
Namdhari XI were trailing by 4-2 at one point in the match but they fought their way back and recorded a stunning win, much to the delight of their coach.
Not sticking to a defensive play, Namdhari XI started the match on an attacking note and barely four minutes had passed when Harpreet Singh scored the opening goal to put Namdhari XI into the lead in the match.
But their joy was short lived as Gurpreet Singh scored the equaliser for BPCL in the 29th minute of the match. However, Gumeet Singh once again helped Namdhari XI take lead through a superb strike in the in the 47th minute.
A resolute BPCL, meanwhile, made some collective move to restore parity through Gurpreet Singh who scored his second goal of the match to level the scores at 2-2.
BPCL forwards then stepped up the tempo as Ravi Pal scored the third goal for BPCL in the 51st minute to put team in lead before Punolik Bellary consolidated theirt position with a wonderful goal in the 55th minute. BPCL were marching towards a comfortable victory before Namdhari XI clawed their way back into the match with some attacking display of hockey in the closing minutes of the match.
Malak Singh scored the third goal for Namdhari XI when he scored a field goal in the 56th minute of the match, while Harpreet Singh scored the team’s fourth goal in the 65th minute. Much to BPCL ‘s dismay, Harmeet Singh netted the winning goal for Namdhari XI in the 67th minute of the match to complete a 5-4 win over stunned BPCL team.
In another match of the day, Indian Oil Corporation scored a comprehensive 3-1 win over Punjab and Sindh Bank. The in-form Didar Singh once again starred in his team’s with a superb brace. However, it was Daler Singh who scored the opening goal for Punjab and Sindh Bank in the 23rd minute of the match through a field goal. However, IOC bounced their way back into the match. Didar Singh cut PSB’s lead when he levelled the score at 1-1 in the 23rd minute.
His second goal came in the 44th minute when he foxed several defenders to double the lead for PSB. Nitin Kumar scored the third goal for IOC in the 58th minute to compete the 3-1 win.