Ipoh to go all out for Tenaga's scalp

25/07/2002

IPOH City Council are not the least worried about their tough encounter
against MHF-Milo-Admiral-NSC Junior League giants Tenaga Nasional Bhd on
Saturday.
In fact, Ipoh will be out to upset the formbook at Tenaga's favourite
hunting ground - the Kuala Lumpur Hockey Stadium in Jalan Pantai.
And it is not mere talk as Ipoh have been steadily improving since their
first JHL match which they drew 3-3 with Olak-MPK.
"We have a mammoth task this weekend against Tenaga but we are not
worried. I have told my boys to go for the kill and if we upset Tenaga,
the prospect of making the semifinals from Group A will become a reality,"
said Ipoh City Council coach Balachandran Panicker.
And after the Tenaga match, they face another tough encounter against
Petaling Jaya Municipal Council next week, but that match does not worry
Balachandran.
"We wil be out for three points this weekend against Tenaga and even if
we fail, we still have a good chance of finishing second in the standings
by beating PJMC," said Balachandran.
Ipoh's last match is against Perak Malays Hockey Association.
Ipoh will be relying heavily on prolific goalgetter Ahmad Anuar Kamal,
18, who has scored eight goals to date.
"Ahmad has never let us down as he has scored in every match since the
League started and we will be counting on him to deliver against Tenaga
too."
The battle will certainly be uphill because Tenaga have scored 41 goals
from seven straight wins - and have yet to conceede even one goal.
"We know the odds are heavily stacked against us, but we have to take
the bull by the horns because against Tenaga, no team can defend for 70
minutes because they have more than six players who can score," said
Balachandran.
Tenaga have been scoring an average of six goals per match and the
electric company have steady strikers in Azlan Misron, Mohamed Fairuz, Wan
Asyrizal, Kamaruddin Rahman, Abbas Nekmat and Jivan Mohan - who are a
goalkeeper's nightmare.
Tomorrow: Taiping Hockey Association v SMK Datuk Taha (Azlan Shah
Stadium I, 5pm); Johor Sports Council v Malaysia Sports School (MPJB
Stadium, 5.15pm); Pahang Telekom v Seberang Prai Municipal Council
(Kuantan Hockey Stadium, 5.15pm); Terengganu Sports Council v Synergy
Hockey Club (Kuala Terengganu Stadium, 5.30pm); SMK Anderson v MSS Kuala
Lumpur (Azlan Shah Stadium II, 5.30pm).
Saturday: Krian Hockey Association v Armed Forces Apprentice Training
School (Azlan Shah Stadium II, 5pm); Sultan Abu Bakar College v Petaling
Jaya Municipal Council (MPJB Stadium, 5.15pm); Tenaga Nasional Bhd v Ipoh
City Council (Pantai Stadium, 5.30pm); Malay Mail v Yayasan Negri Sembilan
(Tun Razak Stadium, 5.30pm); Perak Malays v Olak-MPK (Azlan Shah Stadium
I, 5.30pm).
Sunday: Synergy Hockey Club v Johor Sports Council (Pandamaran Stadium,
5.30pm); Serdang Hockey Club v Pahang Telekom (National Hockey Stadium,
5.30pm); SMK datuk Taha v Malaysia Sports School (Bukit Serindit Stadium,
5.30pm); MSS Kuala Lumpur v Seberang Prai Municipal council (Tun Razak
Stadium, 5.30pm); Terengganu Sports Council v Taiping Hockey Association
(Kuala Terengganu Stadium, 5.30pm).
Tuesday: Telekom Pahang v Taiping Hockey Association (5.15pm, Kuantan
Hockey Stadium).
(END)