Kamaljit’s hat-trick deflates SBT

SBT made sure of a berth in the next stage of the tournament on Friday with two successive wins, but playing opponents whose style and technique match strikingly, perhaps spurred the Southern side to best efforts in a fast-paced encounter.

PSEB, ironically, bow out of the competition unbeaten with two drawsand a win and may now console themselves with a morale victory achieved today with characteristic direct football.

Referee Stanley Gregory flashed a second yellow in successive minutes at PSEB defender Harjap Singh for a foul on PN Manoj leaving the Punjab champions a man short with 18 minutes to go.

The setback, during an SBT resurgence that narrowed a 0-2 deficit, failed to deter PSEB who added a third when Kamaljit struck again with 10 minutes remaining.

The tall striker came in for Harjinder Singh in the 35th minute and got down to business almost immediately to put PSEB ahead four minutes later.A shot from an acute angle after beating SBT defender Dipu Krishnan put the Punjab outfit ahead and Kamaljit having tasted blood seemed eager for more as an overworked SBT goalkeeper Jaya Kumar may testify.

No respite for SBT, resting star striker CV Sunny and X Prajeev. Kamaljit was kept at bay by a goalline save effected by Dipu Krishnan immediately after the break and the same striker then shot overfrom the resultant corner.

But 2-0 it was after Kamaljit struck again in the 62nd minute after SBT enjoyed a split-second of luck. Jujhar Singh struck the upright but Kamaljit was at hand to volley home past a confused defence.

SBT, however, did not relent in attack and Sylvester Ignatius scored a splendid goal in the 67th minute to raise cheers from the sizeable number of supporters of the Kerala side.

A left foot drive to the far corner of the net from a throw-in brought the contest alive and the proceedings reached a climax when Harjap Singh earned the referee’s wrath within minutes.

SBT turned on the heat for the equaliser but the sturdy Punjab side were intent of bowing out with a flourish. Emphasis on attack despite the numerical odds brought just reward and Kamaljit turned the Punjab side’s hero after he exploited a lapse by wing-back Shaji Kumar.

Kuldip, the prodigal striker, paved way, finding his colleague with a long ball that Kumar failed to block. Kamaljit completed his hat-trick,blasting past a helpless Jaya Kumar.

BOI collapse
Chennai Customs ended the match as a contest with a flurry mid-way through the first half.

Strikers Kulothangan (14th minute) and Raja Rajan (16th) with the first named again in the 21st, broke the back of the inter-bank champions’ resolve.Mid-fielder Raja completed the rout on the hour to leave the Mumbai bankmen at the bottom with just a point and no goals in the four-team league.

Chennai Customs finished with a win and a draw.