The Hindu : Indian Airlines subdues a fighting Postal

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 16, 2002

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Sport - Hockey

Indian Airlines subdues a fighting Postal

By Our Hockey Correspondent

Deepak Kumar of IHF Juniors (left), who scored the match winner, watches Anil Ekka clearing the ball even as Bengal goalkeeper Chandan Debnath is sprawled helplessly on the ground in the All India MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup hockey tournament in Chennai on Monday.

Indian Airlines 7<51>Postal 3

IHF Juniors 1<51>Bengal 0

CHENNAI JULY 15. Culmination of the league phase in the Madras Cricket Club-Murugappa Gold Cup hockey tournament on Monday was eventful.

Though the outcome went on the course predicted, the point that deserves mention relates to the fighting display by the Postal team against the formidable Indian Airlines. The margin of 7-3 may not mirror it as such, but those who witnessed the contest would vouch for the fortitude demonstrated by the Postal players who trailed 0-4 at one point in the first half.

With six points in two matches, Airlines took the top spot in Pool C and is followed by Indian Oil Corporation with three points. Postal lost both its matches.

Interest in the second match centred on whether Bengal could manage a draw against the Indian Hockey Federation Juniors to obtain the last berth in the final eight. With a point gleaned against Bharat Petroleum, all that Bengal needed was another point or a moderate defeat. The 2-6 reverse for Bharat Petroleum against IHF Juniors came as a boon for the Bengal outfit whose brand of hockey was not only effective but eye-pleasing.

Eventually, Bengal made the grade from Pool A with a goal difference of minus one against the minus five by Bharat Petroleum.

In fairness, it must be admitted that Bengal enjoyed the edge against the Junior outfit and forced as many as five penalty corners in the first half and an equal number in the second. But in the second half, the Juniors looked more organised. Tushar Khandekar was unlucky to be baulked by the woodwork early on, but IHF Juniors struck when Deepak Kumar put the finishing touches to a penalty corner sequence. There was a noticeable system and style in the working of the Juniors' frontline.

For Indian Airlines the scoreline does mask the moments of embarrassment when Postal showed a semblance of resurgence recovering from 0-4 to make it 3-4 shortly after the break. But Airlines overcame that phase of ineptitude to finally achieve a huge victory. It looked as though Postal would cave in from the manner in which Dhanraj Pillay and Virender Singh along with Mukesh Kumar wove in repeatedly. A lovely dodge by Dhanraj hoisted the lead in the early minutes, and he added two more later with Virender Singh scoring in between to deny the veteran the honour of a three-in-a-row.

Postal sprung to life pricking the overconfidence of Indian Airlines. Prakash Chalke scored a charming goal, as eye-catching as the one Dhanraj had struck earlier. The cross from Azad was despatched into the boards so fiercely that goal-keeper Jagdish Ponnappa was totally flummoxed. Buoyed by the success, Postal struck again, Mumtaz finding the target from a perfect penalty corner drive.

The 4-2 lead for Indian Airlines looked fairly invulnerable, but on resumption, after full-back Len Aiayppa failed with three successive penalty corners for Airlines, Postal narrowed the gap further with a neat shot by Mazib ul Ghani.

At this point, Airlines was on infirm ground, but a stellar role again by Dhanraj helped Mukesh Kumar, Virender Singh and Dilip Tirkey to score and raise the scoreline.

The quarterfinal line-up after Monday's matches will be, IHF Juniors v Indian Oil Corporation; Indian Airlines v Bengal.

Tuesday's matches (quarterfinals): Karnataka v Indian Railways (2-15 p.m.); Tamil Nadu v ONGC (4-15 p.m.).

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