HHIL Match No.5 Dwyer turns the tide for Punjab

Roshan Minz will rue his missed sitter. Despite striking two goals against world’s number one goalie Jaap Stockman, Kalainga Lancers won’t celebrate. The joy of beautiful goal struck by Lalit Upadhyay, the first of the match, did not sustain for long. In the end, its the home team that smiled today at Mohali stadium, Chandigarh.

All because of one man. Jamie Dwyer, who did not much for his team in the hugely popular Hockey India League in the last two years, proved his worth.

In the inaugural HIL season, he even tried to sport penalty corner specialist role, but could not make much of a dent in the final outcome. He was different today at Mohali.

The dimunitive play maker from Queensland turned the tide in favour of his JPW in a matter of two minutes. First he deflected off the team’s penalty corner, and in the next minute in a melee struck a goal against inform goalie Harjot Singh, who has given a great account of himself.

The twin strikes of Jamie, coming against struggling times what with Lalit Updahyay’s seventh minute solo giving their rival a clean 1-0 lead, set the tune and tenor right for other forwards and penalty corner specialists to do the rest, to wrap the match for Punjab.

After initial surge, Punjab showed the signs of sluggishness which Lalit Updahyay utilized, strking a reverse from top of circle getting gem of a parallel from Devinder Walmiki.

Then came the brace of Jamier.

Even as the match was goiong the Punjab way at the stroke of halftime, Roshan Minz showed clearn pair of heels to others and got himself well positioned to strike a goal, but alas he shot it wide despite getting goalie Jaap wrong footed.

Sandeep Singh meanwhile got an opportunity to fire up, and he did it in style, taking the fourth penalty corner to the right bottom of the goal (3-1).

Later in the fourth quarter, Dharamvir, who proved his dash with nippy run downs, unleashed a powerful reverse from left side of the circle, to take the match long away from the Lancers (4-1)

Gurjinder Singh, who was subdued otherwise today, came on his foot to score a goal off a penalty corner (4-2), but it was too little too late.

For the great double, Jamie was declared Hero Man of the Match (Rs.25k) and Dharamvir Singh (Rs.25k) Hero Goal of the day.