CHANDIGARH, OCT 19 :Hosts Chandigarh Hockey Academy and Surjit Hockey Academy joined Lucknow Hockey Academy in the semi-finals of the first Administrator’s Challenge Cup Hockey Tournament for Under-17 being organised by the Chandigarh Sports Department at the Sector 42 Hockey Stadium here today.
Chandigarh Hockey Academy, a venture of the Chandigarh Administration, blanked Cheema Hockey Academy of Batala by 7-0 to top pool B and Surjit Hockey Academy of Jalandhar ousted Maharaja Ranjit Singh Hockey Academy of Amritsar by 2-0 to emerge pool A leaders with two successive wins.
Lucknow Hockey Academy were the first team to qualify for semi-finals from pool D. The fourth quater-finalists will be decided tomorrow.
Surjit Hockey Academy and MRS Academy players same brand of hockey. However, Surjit Hockey Academy capitalised the chances that came their and scored one goal in each half. Barkat Singh gave them lead with a field goal in the 27th minute while Manpreet Singh converted a penalty corner in the dying moments of the game.
Surjit Hockey Academy earned penalty corners in the 9th, 25th, 43rd, 52nd, 54th, 55th, 57th, 64th, 65th and 70th minutes. MRS Academy wasted penalty corners they forced in the 16th, 31st, 59th, 60th and 69th minutes.
By routing Cheema Hockey Academy by 7-0, the hosts finished their league programme with an all-win record in the three-team group B schedule. Cheema Hockey Academy finished with one win and one defeat.
In a pool C encounter Mehta Gurukul Hockey Academy of Doraha and Sector 42 Coaching Centre, Chandigarh played a one-all draw and shared points. Both have identical tally of two points from one win and one draw each. In this pool Punjab and Sind Bank are in a comfortable position having won two matches they have played so far. They face Sector 42 Coaching Centre tomorrow. They should not face any problem to down Sector 42 Coaching Centre. In case they are lose and Mehta Gurukul Academy stun Punjab National Hockey Academy there would be a two-way tie between Punjab and Sind Bank and Punjab National Bank with two victories each.
After a barren first half, the CHA pressed hard and shot into the lead in the 40th minute as Gurjinder converted a penalty corner. Gurjinder converted another penalty corner in the 64th minute. Damandeep scored a brace by scoring in the 47th and 60th minutes. Abhijit (58th), Kanwaldeep (67th) and Gagandeep (68th) contributed one goal each for the winners.
The CHA were awarded eight penalty corners. They could take advantage of only two. Cheema Academy missed two penalty corners.
In another pool C match Mehta Gurukul Academy and Sector 42 Coaching Centre played a one-all draw. Mehta Academy scored through Jaswinder Singh in the 55th minute and Sector 42 Coaching Centre neutralised the lead in the 65th minute.
In a match of academic interest only in pool D, Amritsar XI defeated Rail Coach Factory of Kapurthala by 5-0. Lakhbir (7th), Lovepreet (13th), Jugraj (42nd), Harsahib Singh (58th) adn Narinder Sharma (70th) were the winners scorers.
Tomorrow’s fixtures: Sector 42 Sports Coaching Centre vs Punjab and Sind Bank Hockey Academy, Jalandhar (3 p.m.) and PNB Hockey Academy of Delhi vs Mehta Gurukul Hockey Academy Doraha (4.30 p.m).