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Mar Osthathios hockey: ‘Stick’ing to offensive strategy get Excellency into semi-final
The fast-pace game ended in a score of 6-3. The first half was an eventful series of win and loss of ball possession for both teams ending in 3-2. Both the teams in this period rode on the quick feet of their respective players: Vineet Kamble (Excellency) and Sangnam Pokle (Green Meadows).
The players of Excellency Academy lived up to the name of their club, displaying a finer edge against opponent Green Meadows in the quarter-finals of the Mar Osthathios Invitational hockey tournament at the Major Dhyan Chand hockey stadium on Tuesday.
The fast-pace game ended in a score of 6-3. The first half was an eventful series of win and loss of ball possession for both teams ending in 3-2. Both the teams in this period rode on the quick feet of their respective players: Vineet Kamble (Excellency) and Sangnam Pokle (Green Meadows).
Kamble eased the initial pressure for his team by scoring a textbook reverse goal in the 11th minute. The trailing team’s drive to score paid off when Nihal Goradkar’s ambitious sweep shot from half line was converted by Pokles’s faint touch into the goal. Kamble replied by converting a penalty corner making it 2-1.
Pokle rose to the equaliser by swiftly striding down the left wing covering a significant length of the pitch sticking the ball on the top net of the far post.
In the 29th minute, the goalkeeper of Green Meadows hastily charging towards Kamble’s attack on goal, served him a welldeserved hat-trick. “Today’s game is all about going on the offence. I told my team to go all out in spite of the lead as I saw that as the only way of winning,” said Edwin John, manager, Excellency Academy
Moving forward in the game, opportunities came to the Green Meadows as gifts, but they did not manage to open their ribbons. Monish Chavan sealed the game for the semi-finalists, making the score 6-2.
Amit Rajput hit a low ball onto the board off a penalty corner for the Meadows in the closing minutes (6-3), but it was too late.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH- VINEET KAMBLE
“I was sidelined for too long suffering from an injury. My eagerness to get some field action showed today as I scored the first hat-trick of the tournament.”
RESULT:
Vikram Pillay Academy 7 bt Priyadarshi SC, Khadki 1 (HT-2:1)
Excellency Academy 6 bt Green Meadows: 3. HT (3-2)
