E-Paper
Ambedkar hockey in Pune: Team coordination helps Income Tax win
Senior-junior combination powers team to defeat Rovers Academy 9-3, enter quarters
The strength of senior and experienced players helped Income Tax Pune got the better of Rovers Academy as they beat the latter 9-3 to enter the quarter-final of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar hockey tournament at the Major Dhyan Chand hockey poligras stadium, Nehrunagar, Pimpri on Tuesday.
Playing with two former Indian players — Pardeep Mor and Ajitesh Roy — Income had an upper hand right from the start of the match. While the winners conceded a goal in the 25th minute of the game, their defence was the weakest during the fourth quarter where they leaked two goals in their otherwise flawless performance.
Eighteen-year-old Atharwa Kamble (12th, 19th, 44th, 47th) was the star player of the match as he scored four goals for Income Tax, while two goals came from Mor (14th, 40th) and one goal each was scored by Ashish Chetty (17th), Sonu Dalal (52nd) and Santoshj Kasture (59th). Kamble was supported by Mor and Dalal.
Sufiyan Shaikh (25th) and Rahul Rasal (49th, 56th) scored for Rovers Academy.
“Our team is a mixture of senior and junior players and it makes a healthy combination. Seniors guide the rest and the side works like a united group,” said Kamble, who is playing for Income Tax for last one year.
For Rovers Academy, the start was good as their midfielders made goal scoring difficult for the opponents. After scoring the first goal, Income Tax got into the flow and kept adding the numbers.
“The intensity level of our players dropped after the first 10 minutes, so opponents kept scoring goals,” said Moazaam Shaikh, coach of Rovers Academy.
“As senior players, our job is to keep advising the juniors. Most of the players in our team are good listeners so it helps a lot,” Mor said. Another former Indian player, Roy, was also happy with the way juniors performed in the team.
“It is good to have juniors. I sometimes have to shout on the field, but it is just to improve the game of players. Atharva had missed four goals earlier, but then he focussed on the game and scored goals. The whole idea is to push the juniors to bring out the best in their performance,” said Roy.
Player of the match
Atharwa Kamble, Income Tax, Pune
With the support of my teammates, I could score four goals today. Having senior players in the team helps a lot.
Results
Super XI: 7 (Rohan Powar 14th, 24th, 48th; Roshan Musale 34th; Amol Bhosale 44th, 58th; Krishna Musale 50th) bt Raja Bangla SC: 0. HT: 2-0
Income Tax, Pune: 9 (Atharwa Kamble 12th, 19th, 44th, 47th; Pardeep Mor 14th, 40th; Ashish Chetty 17th; Sonu Dalal 52nd; Santoshj Kasture 59th) bt Rovers Academy: 3 (Sufiyan Shaikh 25th; Rahul Rasal 49th, 56th). HT: 4-1
Excellency Academy: 7 (Rajendra Pawar 1st; Vinit Kamble 4th; Monish Chavan 5th; Romesh Pillay 14th; Ganesh Patil 37th; Satish Patil 39th; Sashikant B 44th) bt PCMC XI: 1 (Abhishek Mane 19th). HT: 4-1
Super XI, Excellency secure quarter spot
Super XI and Excellency Academy eased into the quarter-finals posting run away wins over their respective opponents in the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Hockey Tournament.
Super XI downed Raja Bangla SC 7-0 and Excellency Academy put out PCMC XI 7-1.
In the first match, Super XI had Rohan Pawar make hay (14th, 24th, 48th) and play a key role in the huge 7-0 win over Raja Bangla SC. In the first half, Rohan’s brace opened a 2-0 advantage early.
Changing ends, Roshan Musale (34th) made it 3-0, before Rohan returned to knock in his third and his teams’ fourth goal.
A brace by Amol Bhosale (44th, 58th) and Krishna Musale (50th) rounded up the tally.
In the last match of the day, Excellency Academy downed PCMC XI 7-1. Rajendra Pawar (1st), Vinit Kamble (4th), Monish Chavan (5th), Romesh Pillay (14th), Ganesh Patil (37th), Satish Patil (39th), Sashikant B (44th) scored for the winners while PCMC XI ahd Abhishek Mane (19th) pull one back.