Maybank in thriller

21/06/2003

MIGHTY Sapura, trailing by two goals at the break to Malaysia Hockey
League (MHL) leaders Maybank, came back strongly to earn a draw at the Tun
Razak Stadium yesterday.
Maybank were enjoying a two-goal advantage when Mohamed Hanafi Hassan
scored a field goal in the 16th minute and K. Gobinathan a penalty corner
in the 33rd minute.
The match loked like it was headed the way of the Lions, but Sapura came
back in the second half with a Nishel Kumar double in the 43rd and 58th
minutes to save their day.
* AT the KLHA Stadium, Tenaga Nasional squandered at least 15 goal
scoring chances but still beat Srii Aroma of Penang 6-1.
Tajol Rosli scored Tenaga's first in the second minute with a superb
reverse stick shot and it looked like Srii Aroma were in for a hiding.
But Srii Aroma, who adopted a dangerous open game the entire match, were
spared the drubbing as Tenaga forwards blew their chances as the ball
whizzed left and right, but rarely at goal.
Noor Saiful Zaini (11th, 39th), Tajol (19th), M. Kaliswaran (23rd),
Syayrim Uda Karim (70th) sealed the match while L. Pragas (63rd) scored
for Srii Aroma.
"My players forgot how to score today (yesterday). Nothing went right. I
have no words to describe the match," said Tenaga coach K. Rajan.
* AT the Azlan Shah Stadium in Ipoh, Johor Baru City Council (JBCC)
scored their first win after six matches when they edged Ipoh City Council
1-0, reports R.G. RAJ.
JBCC's hero was Eszreeb Abdul Aziz who scored the winner four minutes
into the second half admist thunder and heavy rain.
JBCC, who lost 4-2 to Bank Simpanan Nasional on Thursday at the Tun
Razak Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, looked tired after the long trip to Ipoh
but took their chances well to make it an even contest. They even forced
three penalty corners against five by the hosts.
Ipoh City Council had a slight with forwards Fazreen Eksan Kulub Wahab
and P. Premkumaran taking turns to test goalkeeper Zahri Limat but to no
avail.
JBCC came charging back in the second half and stunned the home team in
the 39th minute when Eszreeb paced himself well to meet a long cross from
Khairil Hisham Che Kolek and beat goalkeeper Kezuan Ghazali.
* At the Tun Razak Stadium, Bank Simpanan Nasional sank deeper into the
mire when they lost 1-4 to Royal Malaysian Customs after taking the lead.
The Customs goalscorers were Adrian Richard Doss (32nd, 52nd), Ikmal
Abdul Jabar (33rd) and K. Manoraj (52nd). The BSN goal was scored by Syed
Imran Ali in the 23rd minute.
Today: Pahang Sports Council v Royal Malay Regiment (Pandamaran Stadium,
5.15pm); Tenaga Nasional v Navy Dolphins (KLHA Stadium, 6pm); Ernst &
Young v Maybank (KLHA Stadium, 8pm).
Tomorrow: Navy Dolphins v Johor Baru Municipal Council (Azlan Shah
Stadium, 5.15pm); Customs v Sapura (Pandamaran Stadium, 5.15pm); Ipoh City
Hall v Srii Aroma (Azlan Shah Stadium, 8pm); Ernst & Young v Bank Simpanan
Nasional (KLHA stadium, 5.15pm).
RESULTS
Ipoh City Hall .... 0 Johor Baru MC ........1
Tenaga .............6 Srii Aroma ...........1
BSN ................1 Customs ..............4
Maybank ............2 Sapura ...............2
(END)