Goals Galore at Aishbagh as Army XI Batter SECR 11-3

Bhopal  —  It was goals galore at the Aishbagh on Wednesday as a brilliant hat-trick by Chitranjan Singh saw the Army XI batter South Eastern Central Railway (SECR), Bilaspur 11-3 in their opening match of the All India Obaidullah Khan Gold Cup Hockey Tournament.

Ignace Tirkey initiated proceedings by posting the first goal for the armymen in the ninth minute of the game. The Bilaspur side, however, equalized in the 23rd minute with a penalty corner converted by Minz.

Chitranjan regained the lead for the Army XI with successive goals in the 26th, 33rd and 40th minutes and Tirkey found the boards for his second goal of the tie to take the score to 5-1.

A penalty stroke converted by Shahid for the SECR triggered the second flurry of goals by the Army, which scored six goals in quick succession to take the scores to 11-2.

While Rajesh Kumar and Munda scored two goals each, Ekka and Armugam too sounded the boards before Fuzel pulled one back for the SECR in the 64th minute to end the game with the scores at 11-3.

Dhananjay Mahadik of Army XI was adjudged the man of the match.