Hockey: Air India, BPCL crash to defeats

Chennai: Punjab National Bank snatched a 2-1 win over fancied Bharat Petroleum in their pool A match of the 88th All-India MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup hockey tournament here Sunday.

Two goals by Jalwinder in the 28th and 36th minute gave the bank men a comfortable lead to see off a late fightback by BPCL for whom Amar Aiyamma struck in the 63rd minute, but failed to score thereafter.

Earlier, SAIL, Rourkela gave an inspired performance to shrug off a one goal deficit and defeat last year’s joint winners Air India 5-2 in another pool B game.

Felix Baa struck in the 13th minute to put SAIL ahead, but Air India struck twice in the space of two minutes late in the first-half through Somanna Pradhan (29th) and former international Sameer Dad (31st) to take a 2-1 lead at half-time.

On resumption, SAIL stepped up the pace as Baa scored his second goal in the 39th while Rajin Kandulna (42nd, 67th) and Deepak Kullu (62nd) added to the tally.

In a pool A match, Indian Oil, the other joint winners of 2012 edition, moved past Indian Overseas Bank 3-1 after trailing by a goal at half-time.

After V Shanmugam’s 23rd minute goal put IOB ahead, India star and penalty corner specialist Raghunath converted three penalty corners in the second-half to fetch Indian Oil full points.