RAILWAYS TO CLASH PETROLEUM SPORTS PROMOTION BOARD IN DIAMOND JUBILEE SNBP-NEHRU HOCKEY FINAL ON SATURDAY AT SHIVAJI STADIUM

Khel Today Bureau

New Delhi: A rich fare of good hockey was dished out at Shivaji Stadium as the teams of  Indian Railways and Petroleum Sports Promotion Board set up a title clash in the Diamond Jubilee edition of SNBP-Nehru hockey tournament.

The teams will meet in the final on Saturday at 2 pm. Event will be preceded by half an hour cultural show featuring budding sensation RhyythmDeep.

Losing teams Indian Navy and CAG were the defending champions and the runners-up of the last year.

In a match that rose to great heights Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) trailing by two second quarter goals tied 2-2 at regulation period goals before bowing out to Petroleum Sports Board 2-4 in the penalty shootout.

Later in the exciting second semi-final Railways downed Indian Navy 4-2. Railmen led by 4-0 till 47th minute in the fourth quarter before a rearguard action by Navymen made the score look respectable finding the net twice in last 12 minutes. Navy had many opportunities to score but for captain Pawan Rajbhar and Kuldeep and Cariappa being trifle off colour today. The winners scored twice through man of the match Pratap Lakra.

Petroleum boys cordinated well to strike twice in second quarter in quick seccession. Tejas Chavan made the most of a goalmouth skirmish in the 23rd minute. It was followed by a neat penalty corner conversion by Mandeep Antil.

Both the team keep pressure on rivals before CAG encashed on two penalty corners through Nabin Kujur and Venkatesh Telgu to tie the score at 2-all at the end of the regulation period.

In the shootout Harjeet, Tejas, Vikram and Kohlajeet Singh scored successfully with captain Devinder Walmiki failing for Petroleum team.

Only Deepak Malik and Abrahan were able to beat the Petroleum goalkeeper for CAG.

Railways in their match against Navy opened the account through Yuvraj Walmiki in 19th minute before Pratap Lakra consolidated seven minutes later. Samanth and Pratap Lakra (his second goal) scored in that order. Lakra’s second was result of penalty stoke awarded when a goalbound Sudharshan was blocked by Cariappa. Then came the rally from defending champions Indian Navy. They scored through Sushil Dhanwar (penalty corner) and Pawan Rajbhar in the last quarter.