Customs edge out RCF 3-2

MUMBAI

Customs recovered from their 7-1 mauling that they suffered against Air-India on Wednesday to edge out a youthful Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers (RCF) by a narrow 3-2 margin in the Mumbai Hockey Association (MHA) Super League at the MHA-Mahindra stadium in Churchgate on Thursday. Meanwhile, Central Railway held Indian Navy to a 1-1 draw in another encounter.

Customs came out all guns blazing and looked really attacking against their young opponents, but RCF stunned them in the 10th minute, when upcoming striker Victo Singh fired a superb field goal from close quarters to give his team the lead. Customs’equalizer came 19 minutes later, as they were kept at bay by the RCF defence and goalkeeper A P Girish. Chinglen Sana, the hard-working Manipuri striker, struck in the 29th minute to level the game, and the teams went into the break at 1-1.

On resumption of play, Customs added to the lead as Stanley Fernandes deflected a through pass from Sashi Topno into the back of the wooden cage in the 50th minute. Sana then consolidated the lead with a brilliant strike as he combined well with Suresh Maibam to put Customs into a 3-1 lead.

Veteran RCF striker Meghraj Murthy then pulled a goal back for his team in the 60th minute as he pushed the ball in on the run from an acute angle.

The Navy-Central Railway tie turned out to be a dull affair as both teams went into the break level at 0-0. Anup Kiro converted an indirect penalty corner in the 53rd minute to give Navy the lead. Central striker Navneet Swarnkar then found the equalizer to level the game.