Sunil hat-trick steers Lucknow Academy into semi-final

Chandigarh, Oct 18 (UNI) Lucknow Hockey Academy maintained their winning spree as they derailed Rail Coach Factory of Kaputhala by a runaway margin of 16-1 in the first Administrator's Challenge Cup Hockey Tournament being organised by the Chandigarh Sports Department at the Sector 42 Hockey Stadium here today.

With their second successive win in a three-team group D, Lucknow Academy qualified for semi-final by topping their group.

RFC will meet Amritsar XI tomorrow in an inconsequential match to complete the group D programme. Both have lost one match each.

The highlight of the one-sided match between Lucknow Academy and RCF was a three-in-a-row feat by forward Sunil Kumar who scored his team's first three goals in the 2nd, 5th (penalty corner) and 14th minutes. He completed his tally of four individual goals in the 48th minute.

Lucknow Academy's other goal scorers were Arif (19th), Faiz Alam (21st pc, 45th), Chandan Singh (26th, pc), Surya Partap Singh (40th), Brijesh Kumar (43rd) and Akash Yadav (21st).

Formidable Surjit Hockey Academy of Jalandhar have began their programme with a warning to opponents as they raced to an authentic 14-1 verdict against Sukhchain Hockey Academy of Faridkot in the Group A fixture. Sukhchain Academy suffered their second successive team and are out of contention.

Surjit Hockey Academy will meet Maharana Ranjit Singh Academy of Amritsar tomorrow to decide the group leaders. Both have so far won their opening matches. The winners will move into semi-final.

Surjit Hockey Academy, a venture of the Punjab Sports Department, proved too good for Sukhchain Hockey Academy. Harjinder Singh (20th, 24th, 54th, 64rd) and Akshdeep Singh (17th, 46th, 61st, 62nd) held the spotlight by scoring four goals each. Gaurav Sehgal contributed three goals -- 12th, 42nd, 67th minutes. Satbir Singh made two goals in the 10th and 47th minutes. Prabhdeep got his goal in the 29th minute. The face-saving goal for Sukhchain Academy was scored by Sandeep Kumar in the 50th minute.

UNI XC PS AB HS1637