Date:24/05/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/05/24/stories/2006052409242000.htm

Sport - Hockey

Orissa beats Delhi to claims trophy

Special Correspondent

ON A HIGH: The Orissa team, which won the National sub-junior hockey championship in Bangalore on Tuesday. — Photo: G.P. Sampath Kumar

BANGALORE: Orissa clinched the title in the sub-junior National girls' hockey tournament with a 2-0 victory over Delhi in the final played at the hockey stadium here on Tuesday. This match was an anti-climax after the hard-fought semifinal against Jharkhand on Monday. Earlier, in the contest for third place, Jharkhand downed Uttar Pradesh 3-1.

It took a while for Orissa to find its rhythm and it was the Delhi side that made all the dangerous moves in the first quarter. Monika parked herself deep in the Orissa half and waited for the long passes.

Smart move

Half way into the second quarter Orissa's prolific scorer Binita Xess made a smart move dodging past the Delhi defenders and passed to the unmarked Roselin Dung Dung, who slotted in. Orissa should have been up by another goal before the first half but despite being well placed in a goalmouth melee failed to score.

Delhi missed a number of scoring chances early in the second half notable among them being the sitter that Monika failed to convert. Monika trapped a long pass well and had only the Orissa goalkeeper to beat but she took her time to essay the shot and finally hit wide off the post. Shortly afterwards the combination of Monika and Savitha set themselves up nicely but this time Orissa's Suniti Kispotta thwarted the attempt.

The second goal for Orissa came off the sixth penalty corner with Binita Kindo directing home the shot after a slight tussle.

Earlier, Jharkhand beat Uttar Pradesh 3-1. Shilwanti Minjur scored first in the 40th minute and Anitha Thiru converted a penalty stroke awarded in the 61st minute.

Uttar Pradesh's Manjari Pandey reduced the margin in the 64th minute but Sabnam Lakra scored Jharkhand's third goal in the penultimate minute.

The following special prizes were awarded — best goalkeeper: Renuka Soreng (Jharkhand); best full-back: Saritha Bara (Orissa); best half-back: Kajal Malik (Uttar Pradesh); best forward: Binita Xess (Orissa) and most promising player: Monika (Delhi).