Malacca MC team to beat

14/02/2003


MALACCA Municipal Council (MMC) will be the team to beat in Division Two
this weekend in the MHF-Milo-Admiral-NSC Junior Hockey League, as both
their opponents do not have the calibre to pull off any upset.
Since Malacca MC will be playing their matches at home at the Bukit
Serindit Hockey Stadium, KL Schools Sports Council and English College of
Johor will definitely start underdogs.
"We have been training hard the past week and I see that the boys are
fully committed to the goal set by Malacca - topping Division Two and
subsequently playing in the quarter-finals," said Malacca MC coach Eugene
Lee.
Even though it is too early to make claims, Malacca MC have the best
line-up and their six former Anderson Old Boys players have the
capabilities to realise their target of winning promotion.
Old La Sallians Association of Klang (OLAK-MPK) will play a tough match
tomorrow when they meet Telekom Pahang in Kuantan. There will be little to
separate the two as both beat Sri Aroma PISC by four-goal margins. Olak
beat PISC 6-2 while Telekom won 4-0.
"Telekom Pahang are the overall defending champions and it will be
foolish to play an open game against them. Also, their players are more
experienced while my boys are all new hands," said Olak-MPK coach Joseph
de Silva.
De Silva prefers to start the match as underdogs, but Olak have shown
that they are a very strong team. They beat Anderson Xybase 1-0 and then
thrashed Sri Aroma while still in the process of grooming a large number
of 16-year-olds who have little experience playing in the JHL.
Olak, surprisingly, play better in the second half, and this is when
Telekom Pahang might feel the full brunt of the Klang-based outfit.
Div 2 joint-leaders Penang Free School face a litmus test against Sports
School Juniors at the Tun Razak Stadium.
Penang Frees share top spot with SM Datuk Taha with a win and a draw
from their opening matches.
Frees coach Yap Gark Soo knows that their stay at the top is not
permanent.
"Sports School Juniors are one of the better sides in Div 2. Therefore,
whether we remain at the top or slip will depend on this weekend's
matches."
What's important, Yap added, was for the players to not take things easy
just because they are the joint-leaders.
"They have to realise that we have played a game more than six other
teams. And these are the teams who can easily dislodge us if they register
bigger goal margins," cautioned Yap.
In Division One, Tenaga Nasional, who lost 2-1 to Malaysia Sports
School, will be out to make amends.
Tenaga travel to Johor to play Johor Sports Council and should not have
any problem collecting three points after a disappointing start in their
bid for a JHL double.
(END)