Pillay leads the way as Warriors upset Sultans

The Tier I of Premier Hockey League (PHL) got off to a decent start despite the biting cold as nearly 5,000 spectators turned up at Sector 4...

The Tier I of Premier Hockey League (PHL) got off to a decent start despite the biting cold as nearly 5,000 spectators turned up at Sector 42 Hockey Stadium for the opening match between defending champions Hyderabad Sultans and Maratha Warriors. The Warriors took opening honours with a well-deserved 2-1 win.

Warriors owed their victory to mercurial Dhanraj Pillay whose occasional brilliance in the field on Thursday suggested he still has enough firepower to rub shoulders with the young crop. He proved to be a vital link between the Warriors’ midfield and the forward line.

Pillay fed forwards Shivender Singh and Vijay Alphonso well. The Hyderabad side was restricted to guarding its territory in the first quarter. Their super-striker, Argentine Jorge Lombi, and Pakistan’s Shakeel Abbasi and Sameer Dad were struggling to find their rhythm.

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The Warriors always looked for lapses in their rivals’ defence and on one such occasion Shivender Singh snatched the ball from Vikram Pillay outside the striking circle. Shivender moved swiftly into D and sent a rasping reverse flick past Sultans goalkeeper Salman Akbar to fetch the opening goal in the 17th minute.

The third quarter enlivened the proceedings as the Warriors again tried to penetrate the opponents’ danger zone. Showing his deft touch, Pillay was again called the shots. He sent a clean pass from the half-line to an unmarked Shivender on the right flank in the 42nd minute. Shivender sped with the ball and sent a cross to Hemant Ghethe, who gently deflected the ball in (2-0).

Riding on a two-goal lead Maratha Warriors looked lax in the final quarter. That gave Sultans a chance to open their account as Devender Singh sounded the boards off a goalmouth melee in the 67th minute (1-2).

Orissa Steelers defeated Delhi Dazzlers 2-0 in the opening Tier II match earlier. Rajesh Chauhan (14th minute) and Sunil Ekka (65th minute) scored.