Shahrukh Ali’s hat-trick, Pawan Yadav’s winner high point of Kanwarji Nehru Hockey

New Delhi: Barring the surprise pack of Hafiz Siddiqui Inter-College, Jhansi; Naval Tata, Jamshedpur; DG NCC Blue, Lucknow and Govt Hockey Academy, Sonipat made it to the Phase III of Kanwarji Construction 53rd Nehru Boys (Under-17) hockey tournament on expected lines.

In the four matches played on Monday at Shivaji Stadium, the Jhansi team edged out a fighting SGPC, Amritsar 3-2 in a nail-biting finish while NCC boys from Lucknow outplayed newly formed Pritam Siwach Sports Foundation 12-1, Naval Tata beat Hockey Academy Sangrur 7-0 and Haryana Academy ousted Young Pioneer's from Manipur 5-1 after a semblance of resistance in the first quarter.

The winners will be joined by Round Glass Hockey Academy, Punjab; Govt Upgraded School, Khunti; Maj Dhyan Chand Sports College, Saifai, Etawah;  Punjab State Sports Institute, Mohali; Odisha Naval Tata Academy, Bhubaneswar and Ramakrishna School, Chennai.

Tied 1-1 at half time and 2-2 midway through the final quarter, the Hafiz Siddiqui boys produced the match-winner through Pawan Yadav minutes before the regulation time. Yadav was the man of the match.

Hafiz Siddiqui team drew the first blood in the opening quarter through Vikas Gupta with a superb attempt with seconds to to go for the break.

Sukhdev’s power-packed hit off their third penalty corner brought the equaliser for SGPC when play resumed after a short break.

The pattern of Jhansi forging ahead again through captain Akshat Verma and Sukhveer Singh neutralising the advantage was repeated in the last quarter.

Just when everyone thought that the two teams may need a shootout to decide the winner, Pawan Yadav's shot with the reverse flick sounded the board for Jhansi in this cliff-hanger.

Tatas were all over Sangrur once they had eastablished a 2-0 lead at half time. Their star scorers were Patras Hassa and Baban Kiro with two goals apiece.

Sukham Guriya, Ashish Tani Purti and Satyam Pandey were the other goal-scorers for steel boys.

Govt Hockey Academy, Sonipat and Young Pioneer's match got off to an electrifying start.

Manipur team took lead through Maibam Manimatum in the 10th minute. The lead was neutralised three minutes later by Veer with an excellent goal via penalty corner.

The two teams thereafter were content playing defensive hockey earning penalty corners here and there.

Then came the late charge from the Haryana team. They banged four goals in a span of nine minutes through Nikhil (penalty corner), Rohit, Aryan and Jatin (PC).

DG NCC Blue, Lucknow played like champions against the newly formed Pritam Siwach Sports Foundation drubbing them by a dozen goals with one reply. Pritam Siwach, an international star was coaching another till last year.

With today's hattrick, Shahrukh Ali, the crafty inside forward, has become the top-scorer of the tournament.  He scored seventh, eighth and ninth goals. Raghavendra Singh (3) was the other main contributor to NCC tally. Lone reply from Sonipat came from Ankit.

Tags : Nehru Hockey, Shivaji Stadium, Shahrukh, Sonipat, Naval Tata, Sonipat