Kerala split points with J&K in a thriller

Lucknow, September 4, 2012: Kerala played a spirited game today to split points with Jammu and Kashmir after playing a 4-4 draw in a pool G league match of the 2nd Junior National Men Hockey Championship, at the Major Dhyan Chand stadium in Lucknow.

In other matches of the day, Chhattisgarh defeated Gujarat 8-0 in a pool C match, Maharashtra beat Uttarakhand by 5-0 in a pool E match, Bengal got a walkover from Assam, which failed to turn up, SAI Bhopal beat Tamil Nadu 5-0 in pool E, whereas Karnataka beat Chandigarh 2-0 in pool G.

Trailing by 2-4 till the 60th minute of play, Kerala bounced back superbly to score field goals through Sarin E (63rd minute) and Sandeep SP (69th minute) to share points.

Earlier, J&K struck two early goals to take 2-0 lead in the first 20 minutes of play. Tarvinder Pal Singh converted a penalty corner in the ninth minute, while Abhinandan Singh scored a field goal in the 18th minute (2-0).

Though Kerala reduced the margin through Sandeep SP with a field goal six minutes before the break (1-2), J&K scored the third one in the 38thminute vie penalty corner by Jasprit Singh.

Four minutes later Kerala once again managed to reduce the margin, when Captain Joshan George converted another PC into goal (2-3), but in the 54th minute Abhinandan Singh netted his second to put J&K ahead by 4-2.

A Press release