Defending champion Punjab drubbed a listless Delhi 10-0 in a Pool ‘A’ match of the Hockey India-fourth junior National men’s hockey championship at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium here on Monday.
Later, in a Pool ‘C’ contest, Haryana, winner of the first edition of the tournament, blanked Madhya Pradesh 7-0. The score-line in both the matches states the obvious as one-sided matches are becoming the norm here.
Host Tamil Nadu, which defeated Delhi in its first Group match, then got a walkover from Chandigarh. It will take on Punjab on April 2.
Punjab was the superior team from beginning to end. A slick side with a robust defence, an enterprising midfield and an effervescent forward, Punjab hardly gave Delhi any leeway. Ajit Pandit’s fierce forehander after the ball deflected off the goalkeeper’s pads, gave Punjab the opening goal. Harmanpreet struck two neatly-executed drag flicks. Shamsher Singh scooped one over the custodian’s head, and Baljinder Singh made it 5-0 with a few seconds to go for half-time. Delhi was a mute witness to another five goals being scored in the second half. Later in the evening, Steel Plant Sports Board (SPSB) clinched the ‘B’ division title, with a 5-1 win over Manipur in the final.
The results: A Division: Pool ‘A’: Punjab 10 (Ajit Pandit 3, Harmanpreet Singh 3, Shamsher Singh, Baljinder Singh, Parvinder Singh, Arshdeep Singh) bt Delhi 0; TN w/o Chandigarh; ‘C’: Haryana 7 (Ravi Choudhary, Manpreet 3, Nikhil Saroha, Santa Singh, Shakti) bt MP 0; UP 4 (Raju Paul, Manish Rajbhar, Arjun Yadav, Rajiv Ranjan) bt Jharkhand 2 (Nitesh Kiro, Budhram Dodrai).
B Division: Final: SPSB 5 (Janma Majhi 3, Santosh Baxla 2) bt Manipur 1 (Mantosh Singh). Best player: Santosh Baxla.
Third place: SSCB 3 (Ramandeep, Haobam Papunao, Navpreet Singh) bt Bengal 1 (Nitish Nupani).
