Date:13/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/13/stories/2008031360262400.htm

Sport - Football

Annai Youth tops first division

Special Correspondent

SUPERB SHOW: The Don Bosco-Annai Youth team which earned promotion to the senior division next season.

CHENNAI: Topping the first division with 22 points, Don Bosco-Annai Youth team earned promotion to the next season’s Chennai Football Association’s senior division league.

In the 11 matches that the champion team played in the league, Annai Youth won six of them, drew four and lost just one match (to the city police team).

The young team, most of the players being in the 18-24 age group, was coached by R. Shanmugam, former State coach, who has also worked with Indian Railways and the ICF teams. His experience, along with that of AFC ‘C’ licensed coach, Gunasekaran (Bank of Baroda) contributed to the team’s good show.

Fr N. Gerard of the Don Bosco Youth Centre, Wisdom Town (Red Hills), has been the source of inspiration for this team, ensuring that it has its practice sessions at DBYC’s fine facility in Wisdom Town, on the outskirts.

The Annai Youth team also had players from outside the state in Soumick Ghosal, Riaz Ahamed — who was top scorer for the club, Tanumoy Mazumdar and Rana Barui.

The team is managed by a Committee of which B. Ravikumar David is the convenor.

Annai Youth’s results:

League: bt Octupus 3-0; bt Challengers Union 1-0; bt HVF 4-1; bt Rangoon Fc 4-0; bt Southern Railway 1-0; bt Chennai Port Trust 2-0; drew with Madras Eagles, FCI, TNEB and Central Excise and lost to City police 1-2. Play-off for title: bt Southern Railway 2-0.