Favourites feast

22/06/2002

THE Malaysian Hockey Federation-Milo-Admiral-NSC Junior Hockey League got
off to a rousing start as the early favourites went on a goal fest.
Tenaga Nasional Bhd steamrolled past Perak Malays Hockey Association 8-0
at the Azlan Shah Stadium in Ipoh while at the Tun Razak Stadium, Petaling
Jaya Municipal Council (PJMC) hammered Armed Forces Apprentice Training
School (AFATS) 7-0.
Tenaga, powered by national juniors Mohamed Firdaus Razali, Mohamed
Riduan Nasir and Jivan Mohan, proved too good for the inexperienced Perak
Malays.
Tenaga goalkeeper Firdaus was hardly tested in the match and it was the
same for K. Palaniappan who came in to `give Firdaus some rest' towards
the later part of the game.
TNB coach K. Rajan said they could have done even better if they had
Azlan Misron, who is on a Europe Tour with the national team, around.
Kamaluddin Abdul Rahman led the rout with three goals while Jivan and
Mohamed Fairuz Hamani scored two each. Abbas Nekmat hammered home the last
nail.
At the Tun Razak Stadium, PJMC never looked back after scooring three
goals in the first half, but their quest for more goals received a great
boost because AFATS is a poorly prepared outfit.
The first goal for PJMC was scored by Mohamed Zairil in the eighth
minute when he deflected home a penalty corner set-piece.
And in the 13th minute, Nor Azizan increased the lead with a field goal
and it was downhill for AFATS after that as Mohamed Reezwan (16th, 62nd),
Nor Azizan (41st), Ikmal Abdul Jabar (44th) and Mohamed Fazley (47th)
hammered home.
"We had a good outing today (yesterday) because I told my boys not to
take the opponents lightly eventhough we were three-goals up. I hope they
keep up the momentum in their remaining matches," said PJMC coach Roslan
Salikon.
PJMC have their own development programme and have retained 12 players
from last year's JHL and eventhough they did not play an impressive match
yesterday, they have assembled a side which looks good for a semifinals
slot.
Today: SM Datuk Taha v MSS Kuala Lumpur (5pm, Malacca Hockey Stadium);
MSN Johor v Pahang Telecoms (5.15pm, Johor Baru Hockey Stadium); Malaysia
Sports School v Seberang Prai Municipal Council (5.30pm, Tun Razak
Stadium); Terengganu Sports Council v Anderson (5.30pm, Azlan Shah
Stadium); Synergy Hockey Club v Serdang Hockey Club (5.30pm, Pandamaran
Stadium).
TENAGA ........... 8 PERAK MALAYS .... 0
PJMC ..............7 AFATS ............0
YNS ...............4 PENANG INDIANS ...0
OLAK ..............3 IPOH MC ......... 3
SULTAN A BAKAR ... 1 KRIAN HA ........ 1
(END)