SSP-MSP Thunderbolts on steady climb..

SSP-MSP-THUNDERBOLTS took a big gamble when they fielded a 15-year-old goalkeeper in Division One of the Junior Hockey League, but Hamiz Ahir has shown that he is made of sturdy stuff.
  Hamiz, who turns 16 next month, was instrumental in the Pahang Sports Schools' 2-1 win over BJSS Thunderbolts on Sunday.
  BJSS were the better team, but good goalkeeping by Hamiz denied them victory.
  "Yes, our No 1 goalkeeper is just about to turn 16, but he has shown great determination in both our matches to date," said SSP-MSP coach Sufian Mohamed.
  In the curtain raiser, SSP-MSP hammered Nur Insafi 11-1.
  However, leg cramps seems to be a big problem among the Pahang Sports Schools youth brigade, as more than five players fell to cramps against Nur Insafi and the trend continued against BJSS.
  "I'm perplexed on why many of my players started having cramps since trhe JHL started because before this we never had this problem in all the tournaments they played. Salt, a good warm-up and everything else has been done to the book, but too many of them suffered cramps during both the matches," said Sufian.
  SSP-MSP has fielded four 16-year-olds, seven 17-year-olds, five 18-year-olds and only four 19-year-olds in the ongoing JHL.
  "This is a team for the future, as many of them can play next season as well.
  "But even though we have won both the matches, we will only know out true strength at the end of January when we take on tougher teams," said Sufian.
  Their next match is against SSTMI Juniors and they should collect another three points.
  "Yes, we should be able to beat SSTMI Juniors but after that we face UniKL Young Guns and PJCC (Petaling Jaya City Council) and if my players come out tops, I believe we will be among the top-three in Division One this season," said Sufian.

DIVISION ONE

                 P  W  D  L  F  A  Pts

SSP-MSP-TNDER'    2 2 0 0 13 2  6
SSTMI TNDER'  2 2 0 0 11 1  6
PJCC          2 2 0 0 5 1   6
BJSS TNDER'       2 1 0 1 7 3   3
POLITEKNIK  2 1 0 1 4 3   3
SMKDBL YOUNG GUNS 2 1 0 1 2 4   3
UNIKL YOUNG GUNS  2 1 0 1 5 8   3
OLAK TIGERS  2 0 0 2 2 6   0
SSTMI JRS         2 0 0 2 2 11  0
NURINSAFI         2 0 0 2 2 14  0

JHL: SSTMI Thunderbolts do just enough..

DOUBLE champions SSTMI Thunderbolts scraped to a 3-0 win over SMDBL Young Guns in Division One of the Junior Hockey League yesterday.

  SSTMI had beaten SSTMI Juniors 8-1 on Friday, but were not their usual self when they could only beat newly promoted SMKDBL 3-0.

  SSTMI got their goals off Luqman Nul Hakim (34th) and Luqman Hakim (correct) (61st, 65th).

   In another match, SSP-MSP-Thunderboolts beat BJSS Thunderbolts 2-1 at the back of an 11-1 hammering of Nur Insafi on Friday.

  BJSS had the lions share of possession, and even wasted a penalty stroke to hand the win to SSP-MSP of Pahang.

  SSP-MSP took the lead off Idris Samad in the 25th minute, but BJSS equalised off Hafiizhuddin Zaidi in the 48th minute, before Nazrey Din nailed the winner in the 65th minute off a penalty corner.

  SSP-MSP coach Sufian Mohamed was happy with the win, but not with the way his charges played.

  "The win is of course a welcome, but I am not happy with the way my boys played today as they were not up to their standard. Also, five of them were hit by cramps during the match and we will look into this to prepare for the next match," said Sufian.

  SSP-MSP did not have their best player Zulfiqrie Zulazli: "Zulfiqri would have made a big difference in this match, but unfortunately his grandfather died and he went home to attend the funeral."

  SSP-MSP are Temerloh Sports School who were recently renamed as Pahang Hockey Academy, and from their two matches indicate that they will be a force to reckon with this season.

  RESULTS -- Division One: BJSS Thunderbolts 1 SSP-MSP-Thunderbolts 2, SMKDBL Young Guns 0 SSTMI Thunderbolts 3, SSTMI Juniors 1 Politeknik Malaysia 3, Olak Tigers 2 UniKL Young Guns 4, Nurinsafi 1 Petaling Jaya Municipal Council 3.

  Division Two: Group A: MSS Kedah 1 Penang MSSP-USM 3; Group B: MSSWPKL 2 MISCF-UFL 3, STAR 2 MSNPK-ILHC 6; Group C: TBSS Tampin 3 Young Hurricanes 3, Datuk Taha 1 Malacca High School 7.