Railways take on Punjab in Hockey Indian senior women national championships

Patna, January 27, 2011: Star studded Railways entered the semi final of the 1st Hockey India Senior Women National Championship routing Uttar Pradesh 7-0 at Motilal Nehru Sports School, Rai, Sonepat on Thursday.

According to a Hockey India press release, Internationals Jasjeet Kaur Handa scored three goals while skipper Saba Anjum and Deepika Thakur accounted for two goals each.

Railways were joined in the last four by Punjab, Orissa and Haryana who overcame stiff resistance from Karnataka, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh Sports & Youth Affairs respectively in quarter final encounters.

Midfielder Deepika Thakur opened the account for Railways in the 7th minute and followed up with the seventh goal in the 56th minute.Striker Saba Anjum converted a penalty corner in the 11th minute and was on target again with a 17th minute effort. Jasjeet Kaur Handa made no mistake with strikes in the 14th, 28th and 44th minutes.

Punjab came from behind to beat Karnataka 2-1 in a pulsating encounter. After a goalless first half, Kulsumbi D.C.put Karnataka ahead converting a penalty corner in the 52nd minute.The equaliser for Punjab came from defender Harmanjeet Kaur seven minutes later and Thokchom Anuradha Devi struck the match winner in the 66th minute.

Orissa struggled to beat neighbours Jharkhand by a solitary goal in the 50th minute scored by Nolo Lilima.

Hosts Haryana were subjected to anxious moments in the last quarter final edging Madhya Pradesh Sports & Youth Affairs 5-4 in the tie breaker after the two teams were locked 1-1 at regulation time.

Navjot put Haryana ahead at the stroke of half time with a firmly driven penalty corner past International goalkeeper Etimarpu Rajani. However Pinky Devi Thokchom found the equaliser for Madhya Pradesh Sports & Youth Welfare in the 59th minute from another penalty corner.In the tie breaker that followed after regulation time. Meenakshi, Jaspreet, Surinder Kaur and Ramandeep Kaur scored for Haryana while Raina Yadav, Ranjeeta Sanasam and Rijuta Mullick found the mark for the losers.

In the semi-finals to be played on Saturday, Punjab will be pitted against Railways while Orissa will challenge Haryana.