Tamil Nadu too good for Mumbai

PSB 3 IHF Juniors 2

Tamil Nadu 2 Mumbai 0

By Our Hockey Correspondent

CHENNAI, JULY 9. Mediocre though the quality on view, there were moments to relish-like the classic goal by L.Prabhakar for Tamil Nadu-for the big holiday crowd in the MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup hockey tournament at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium this evening. Tamil Nadu's second win - the first was against Bengal - today warmed the cockles of many a local heart as it increased the chances of the team making it to the semifinals. Tamil Nadu has six points, and awaits Indian Airlines in the last match of Pool A.

Earlier, Punjab and Sind Bank pulled the shutters down for the IHF Juniors in a scrappy encounter in Pool B.

Attacking spasmodically, projecting the international Prabhakar as the trump card, Tamil Nadu enmeshed the Mumbai defence in no time. If the chances that Tamil Nadu conceived were translated into the goals, the team would have had at least three goals on the board before it scored the first at the fag end of the first session. Radhakrishnan troubled the Mumbai defence from the right as did Cedric D'Cruz. The induction of Karthik also enhanced the punch in the attack.

Goal-keeper Arun Gurung was the main stumbing block for the major part before Prabhakar put the finishing touches to a move initiated by Karthik and developed by Cedric D'Cruz. Prabhkar dived to deflect the ball past Gurung, and, understandably, the effort received vociferous arpprobation from the crowd. Earlier, a similar diving attempt by Prabhakar missed the mark by inches. Gopinath too fumbled before Tamil Nadu went ahead.

Obviously short of combined practice, the Mumbai outfit, despite the presence of skillful players such as Cheops D'Souza in the defence and Mukhtiar Singh in the frontline, struggled to strike the rhythm needed to overwhelm the rival defence. A couple of sinuous runs by Mukhtiar Singh sent waves of exitement among the crowd but he suffered from want of adequate support. Mumbai had four penalty corners against the three by Tamil Nadu in the match.

A draw looked very much probable with Tamil Nadu defending the solitary goal against the pressure put on by Mumbai. Midway through however Gopinath engineered a superb move which ended with Karthik slotting home the second goal. Tamil Nadu goal did experience a few torried moments in the closing stages.

A penalty corner hit by Cheops D'Souza caused a scrimmage inside the circle. With the goal-keeper Natarajan off guard, it fell on Satish Kumar to clear the ball out of harm's way.

Len Aiyappa scores two goals

For the second time the IHF Juniors lost notwithstanding the patches of imaginative play against a formidable combination, whose robust approach was an eyesore in certain phases. Len Aiyappa figured prominently for IHF not only by netting two goals from penalty corners-one from a brilliant drag flick to the roof of the net-reminding some of Paksitan's Sohail Abbas--but also making a grand goal-line save midway in the first half.

The Punjab and Sind Bank with its unimpeachable credentials as one among the top-notch combinations in the country needlessly queered the pitch now and then, frustrating the spectators. Small wonder, the players were heckled now and then, despite the brand of adeptness they displayed. The pivot Sandeep Singh Ghuman was conspicuous in his promptings. The moves were built by the seasoned Sanjiv Kumar. But support from the wing was inadequate eventhough Baljit Singh Chandi flashed into the picture now and then.

Baljit Singh Chandi also lost his cool frequently, querying the decisions of the umpires. The team did not cover itself with glory when it surrounded umpire Blaise Monteiro, disputing the first IHF goal scored by Len Aiyappa with a carpet drive. Apparently, the defenders felt the ball had not been stopped perfectly.

Slowly but progessively, the Punjab and Sind Bank defence managed to smother the consistency of IHF attack led by Arun Halappa and Inderjit Singh. The equaliser was almost on the board when goal- keeper Bharat Chetri was beaten by the push from Sandeep Ghuman but Aiayppa came up with a splendid interception inches in front of the goal. However, Ghuman could not be denied his due. He converted the fourth penalty corner with a crafty drive.

On level terms at the time of break, the Punjab outfit applied pressure on the rival defence. A quick dart by Chandi culminated in an obstruction by Bikramjit Singh. Blaise Monteiro showed no hesitation in awarding a stroke, rightly ignoring the protestations by the IHF Juniors. Rajinder Singh full back converted. Interest from then on centred around whether the IHF could manage a point. Midway through such a possibility became a reality when Aiayppa found the roof of the net. In the closing minutes however, the IHF defence floundered again when Paraminder Singh's sally was obstructed by goal-keeper Chetri. Monteiro signalled another stroke which Rajinder Singh slotted in without much fuss.

Tomorrow's matches: IHF Juniors v Karnataka (2.30 p.m.); Bengal v Mumbai (4.30 p.m.).

Tamil Nadu's L.Prabhakar (second from right) gets a pat from team-mates after scoring the first goal against Mumbai in the all India MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup hockey tournament in Chennai on Sunday. Karthik (extreme left), who scored the second goal for Tamil Nadu is also seen.

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