Saturday 26 May, 2007

Super XI pip Rakshak Sports

Published May 26

B D Narayankar

bapun@sakalherald.com

KHADKI: Super XI staged a superb rally to emerge 3-2 winners against Rakshak Sports in the Priyadarshini Nine-a-Side Hockey Tournament being sponsored by Rosary Education Group at Ammunition Factory Ground on Friday.

In a gripping encounter, the Super XI displayed great character to bounce back into the game from 2-0 in the first half to force 3-2 in the second half.

While Mangesh Salunke (16th minute), Omkar Desai (17th) scored for Rakshak Sports, Super XI replied through Ganesh Shirke (26th), Nitin Salvi (32nd) and Srikant Bohare (35th).

The Rakshaks looked strong, sturdy and solid in the first half, but Super XI came surging back with a brilliant second-half display that underlined their speed and fitness to triumph from the verge of defeat.

VPA WIN: Meanwhile, the match between Vikram Pillay Academy (VPA) and Friends Union, tipped as the best match of the day, did not arouse interest as VPA registered a one-goal win over their rivals.

In the very first minute of the match, Raju Sawant from the right-hand corner forced Friends Union defender Sanjay Shailendra to stretch forward and save the ball from sailing into the goal.

VPA missed many chances coming their way. In the 10th minute, strong and burly-looking Dawood Ghadiyali swated the ball that popped up, giving an opportunity to Cyril Barnard to reverse scoop, but failed. He, however, managed to earn a penalty corner through a dangerous play from one of the Friends Union defenders.

The saga of missed chances did not end there. It was Sagar Karat, this time, who missed to score on Vinod Pillay’s push of the third penalty corner of the match.

Just when the spectators were getting used to the missed opportunities, Cyril Barnard romped home through a penalty corner in the 30th minute on a deflection created of a fantastic dragging-pass by Vinod Pillay.

METRO PREVAILS: In a one-sided game, Metro Sports defeated 3-0 Indian Sports Club in the third match of the day.

RESULTS: Super XI 3 (Ganesh Shirke, Nitin Salvi, Srikant Bohare) bt Rakshak 2 (Mangesh Salunke, Omkar Desai); Priyadarshini Sports 1 (Sachin Pawar) bt Old Boy’s Association 0; Metro Sports 3 (Vinod Kelappan 2, Rakesh Pollaiah) bt Indian Sports 0; VPA 1 (Cyril Barnard) bt Friends Union 0

No comments: