Border Security halt Mumbai8217;s progress

HYDERABAD, March 15: Defending champions Railways raised their game several notches in the second session to subjugate Punjab 3-1 in the ...

HYDERABAD, March 15: Defending champions Railways raised their game several notches in the second session to subjugate Punjab 3-1 in the final Group A league match, to qualify for the quarter-finals of the PSB amp; SBI-sponsored 59th National Hockey Championship at the Police Stadium today.

Joining Railways in the knock-out stage are the robust Border Security Force BSF, who showed struggling Mumbai the door with a 3-1 margin in Group C, and favourites Airlines from Group D. Surely, the Railways-Punjab contest was the showpiece. Punjab held the advantage initially, but the title-defenders recovered in the second half, as forwards Mukhtiar, Sunil and Brijnev found the rhythm.

Punjab struck in the 12th minute when the reliable Kuljinder banged home connecting a short pass from Baljeet Singh.

A goal in arrears, Railways changed ploys, playing long passes to unnerve Punjab. The strategy worked and they restored parity in the 20th through Lalit.

Railways surged ahead nine minutes after the break with Sunilconverting a penalty and consolidated their position adding another goal when Mukhtiar put in a Chanderpaul cross.

FIRST TO QUALIFY: BSF were the first to qualify. Mumbai seemed feeble, a fact evident on the first day itself when they were held by Food Corporation of India. Today, they did make some remarkable essays but it proved inadequate.

The securitymen broke the deadlock through Peter Tirkey who scooped in right-winger Rajan Lakra8217;s measured pass inside the circle, beating Mumbai keeper Sudhir Kumar.

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The hard-working Amrit Lakra made it 2-0 with a stinging shot. However, Mumbai pulled one back in the 54th converting a penalty corner. BSF who banged in another 8212; captain Harbhajan scoring off a penalty corner.

Results Group A: Andhra 4 Vijay Kumar 2 18th, 34th, Ramana, 36th, Deepak 1, 34th bt Rajasthan 2 Sanjay 2, 29th amp; 56th; Railways 3 Lalit Kumar, 20th, Sunil Kumar, 44th, Mukhtiar Singh, 58th bt Punjab 1 Kuljinder Singh, 12th Group B: India Postal 2Siraj-Ul-Haq, Asad Kamal bt CISF 1 Irfan Ahmed, 62nd; Gujarat bt Rajasthan 3-0.

Group C: BSF 3 Peter Tirkey, 26th, Amrit Lakra, 42nd, Harbhajan Singh, 61st bt Mumbai 1 Ajay Kumar, 54th

Group D: Airlines 6 Altaf-ur-Rahman 4 including hat-trick, Brojen Singh, Mukesh Kumar bt Orissa 2 Saveran Kumar Barla , AS Tete

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Tuesday8217;s schedule: Hyderabad v Gujarat Group B; Karnataka v Chandigarh G; Postal v Nagaland B; Kerala v Services H; Central Excise v Tata Sport G; Delhi v Madhya Bharat G; Maharashtra v Jamp;K B.