Northern Railway owe it to Suleman

CHANDIGARH, Sept 27: With the organisers preparing for the tie-breaker session, centre forward Daud Suleman snatched the all-important go...

CHANDIGARH, Sept 27: With the organisers preparing for the tie-breaker session, centre forward Daud Suleman snatched the all-important goal in the dying moments as Northern Railway eked out a hard-fought 1-0 win over Punjab and Sind Bank Academy in the first round of the 29th edition of the All India Gurmit Memorial Hockey Tournament at the Sector 42 Astroturf Stadium here today.

The match winner was scored in a dramatic manner. With players moving in a casual manner, left half Sukhdev Singh sent a through forward pass and Suleman deflected it into the goal in a flash, catching the PSB Academy goalkeeper Parmjit Singh and the defenders napping.

Indo-Tiebtan Border Police edged out Electrical and Mechanical Engineers by 1-0 with Raman Kumar scoring the winning goal in the 28th minute.

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In other preliminary match Customs XI ended the challenge of Ropar Hawks 3-0. Kulwant (12th minute), Rahul (44th) and Adolef (49th) were the scorers. Food Corporation of India stroked out Central Industrial Security Force by an aggregate 6-5 margin after sharing six goals in the regulation 70-minute session. FCI’s scorers in the stipulated period were Sanjeet (14th), Satish Kumar (27th) and Navbir Singh (51st). GV Xaxa hat-tricked for CISF with goals in the first, 30th and 42nd minutes.

In the tie-breaker session, FCI converted their strokes through Kulwinder Singh, Saghwan and Navbir Singh. GV Xaxa and Mangra Munda were CISF’s scorers.

Last year’s quarter-finalists N Railway launched their offensive in the initial stages of the match. Centre half Parmod Kumar engineered a good move and sent a measured pass Daud Suleman who has positioned himself in front of PSB Academy goalkeeper Parmjit Singh. However, Suleman fumbled and missed a golden chance to give his team the lead.

The bankmen retaliated in the 28th minute. A combined move among Harmit Singh, Yudbir Singh and Sarbjit Singh saw the last named shooting meekly and straight into the pads of NR goalkeeper AK Srivastva who had no difficulty in clearing the ball.

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PSB Academy were unlucky as the upright denied them a goal in the 31st minute. Fed by Harmit Singh, Rajwinder’s reverse hard shot hit the pole before bouncing back into the play to the disappointment of the bankmen’s supporters.

After NR international Rajinder Pal Singh ballooned over a shot in the 51st minute, Suleman snatched the match winner just before the final whistle.