Bank Bumi move into last eight

15/08/1997

BMB ......... 4
K. LANGAT ... 0
BANK Bumiputra Malaysia Berhad (BBMB) won the seventh quarterfinal berth
in the Malaysia Hockey League at the Bukit Jalil Stadium yesterday.
BBMB who hammered a tired Kuala Langat side 4-0 and now have 15 points,
will play their last match against Pos Malaysia on Sunday.
With the defeat, Kuala Langat will have to beat DeTas of Pahang on
Sunday if they want the remaining quarterfinal ticket. In the other half,
Royal Malay Regiment (RMR) have an uphill battle against Maybank, but if
Kuala Langat lose against DeTas and RMR win, the soldiers go through.
Yesterday, both teams started well and the first 10 minutes was a
balanced affair, but two mistakes by former national trainee goalkeeper
Hamdan Hamzah put the bankers 2-0 up and Kuala Langat were never in the
match after that.
In the 13th minute, Kuala Langat received their first penalty corner but
failed to score, and a quick counterattack saw Guna Bawan tapping a neat
pass to Sirjit Singh who hammered home on the turn.
Three minutes later, Atul Kumar made it 2-0 when he pushed the ball
through the pads of an off-form Hamdan.
The combination of Sirjit, Atul and Guna Bawan troubled the Kuala Langat
defence time and again and in the 20th minute, Sirjit pushed to an
unmarked Akhir Ismail who only had Hamdan to beat but fumbled.
Kuala Langat were seen backpedalling most of the first half and their
strikers Mohamed Razali, M. Jayaraman and Sri Muhunan were hardly in the
match.
In the 33rd minute, Atul had a golden opportunity to score the third
goal but he hit the post and the ball was cleared by Kuala Langat's Dr
Stephen Jambunathan.
A minute before half time, Sirjit again placed the ball neatly for Atul
who missed by inches.
In the 41st minute, Sirjit and Atul executed a one-two to perfection for
BBMB's third and Sirjit's second goal.
Five minutes later, Atul's top of the semicircle shot was deflected home
by Guna Bawan to seal the match.
"We achieved our target of making the quarterfinals.
" I believe it was because there was no pressure on my men," said BBMB
assistant coach Shahrol Nizam.
"Kuala Langat are a good side and they played very well, the only
difference was that my players took their chances well."
Tomorrow: TNB v JLJ (5.0, Bukit Jalil Stadium 2); BSN v PKNP (5.30,
Bukit Jalil Stadium 1); SHC v MPPJ (7.45, Bukit Jalil Stadium 1).
Sunday: KLG v DeTas (5.0, MPPJ Stadium); PMB v BBMB (5.30, Bukit Jalil
Stadium 1); RAMD v Maybank (7.45, Bukit Jalil Stadium 1).
(END)