JHL a top-heavy success

THE Junior Hockey League (JHL) was a top-heavy success, while the middle class and Division Two teams were a total flop.
The Bukit Jalil and Bandar Penawar Sports Schools senior sides, UniKL and Petaling Jaya City Council had put in much effort and to a certain degree, promising players could be spotted in their outfits.
However, the rest of the Division One teams were a yawn to watch, and the majority of their players did not even have the basics right yet.
The top three Division Two teams -- Sabah, Pahang and Ipoh City Council in that order -- looked comfortable beating their peers with impressive margins, but when given a chance to play in the quarter-finals against Division One teams, none of them progressed into the last four.
In fact, they were turned into punching bags, with BPSS hitting Ipoh 9-1, BJSS hammering four goals past Division Two champions Sabah, while UniKL beat Pahang 4-2.
Sabah were the biggest disappointment in the last eight, as they went on a scoring spree of more than 30 goals to become the Division Two champions, but could not score a single goal against BJSS who finished third in Division One.
The standard was evident to Sabah HA secretary Aftar Singh: “We took part in our first JHL since its inception, and it was an achievement to become the Division Two cham pions.
“However, our form is still far from satisfactory, as we were lost when pitted against a Division One side.”
But Sabah deserve praise as they have started a dedicated programme, even though it is long overdue, when they camped at the Pandamaran Stadium in Klang to train for the Razak Cup, the JHL and now for the Malaysia Games in Malacca.
“We have just started our journey, and have to chase established clubs who are miles ahead. It will be difficult, but not an impossible task to go on par with Division One teams in the near future if we continue our development pro grammes,” said Aftar.
More established teams like Pahang, Ipoh City Council, Tunku Besar Secondary School, Penang Frees and Johor were beaten by Sabah in their route to become champions, and more can be expected from them if they continue playing in the JHL.
Eighteen teams competed in the JHL, with nine in each division, and the national selectors can easily form two strong Under-19 training squads as talent was abundant.

UniKL a perfect venue to play, study and work

UniKL coach I. Vickneswaran with his charges.

By Jugjet Singh
COMMENT

UNIKL (Universiti Kuala Lumpur) is here to stay, and with a strong backing from their Chancellor, hockey players now have another dedicated club to play, study and work for.
UniKL spent half a million this season playing in the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) and the Junior Hockey League (JHL), and with Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah as their Chancellor, the sky seems to be the limit.
In their MHL debut UniKL, with an average age of 21, finished at the bottom of the six-team pool in the Premier Division. But in the quarter-finals, they held Maybank 3-3 in the first leg, but lost 2-0 in the return leg.
In the JHL, they were runners-up in the League and Overall champions.
Success did not come cheap for them, as a total of RM500,000 was spent in both the MHL and JHL, and yesterday, the management held a meeting with coaches I. Vickneswaran, K. Embaraj and Saiful Azhar -- all former internationals -- to chart the future of the newcomers.
The interesting part about UniKL is that they are the first University side to get seriously involve in the sport, and have hired four players as staff, and two more will be enrolled soon to study there.
The idea was, naturally, mooted by Tengku Abdullah, and when he presented the Overall medals to the UniKL players on Sunday, he was heard saying: “You guys have made your Chancellor very proud.”
Chief coach Vickneswaran knows it would be difficult for UniKL to hold onto some of their promising players, as richer clubs like Sapura and Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club have the resources to snatch them with lucrative contracts.
But the new club is not overly worried, because they know that if they can become a ‘breeding’ ground for young talent, they would achieve MHF’s aspirations, as Tengku Abdullah had said that he will work to elevate the standard of clubs after he was elected as president.
Much has been achieved in the first season itself, but more will be expected from UniKL in the years to come as they dethroned former Overall champions Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) and denied Bandar Penawar Sports School (BPSS) Thunderbolt the double.
The fact that UniKL beat both the sports schools in the Overall title chase has also sent tongues wagging, as the schools are supposed to be the front-liners after systematic coaching and development for years.
BJSS can be excused as they relied on Under-16 players, but BPSS were a letdown as most of their players had trained, stayed and studied together for six years but still could not play as a team.
The local league season is over, and now it would be interesting to see how MHF keep the upcoming pool of players, including the Under-16 boys who finished second in a Four-Nation in Germany, busy and not lose them to the schooling system, or worse still, to other vices with come with success.

UniKL zap Thunderbolt!

UNIKL shocked favourites Bandar Penawar Sports School Thunderbolt 2-1
to be crowned the MHF-Milo-NSC Junior Hockey League Overall
champions at the Tun Razak Stadium yesterday.
Runners-up in the league, UniKL showed great composure to wait for
the right moments to mount counter attacks, and it was their second giant
killing feat after beating Bukit Jalil Sports School in the semi-finals.
UniKL received RM20,000 while runners-up Thunderbolt RM10,000.
"It was a super display from my players, and a coach can't ask for more
from his players who finished runners-up in the League and Overall
champions in their first JHL season itselt," said UniKL coach I.
Vickneswaran.
Thunderbolt coach Wan Roslan Rahman was disappointed with the
outcome: "We missed too many sitters and paid the price for it. However,
overall, it has been the most successful season for us."
The first half turned out to be a drab affair, with both sides missing
sitters and play was concentrated in the midfield.
Thunderbolt won two penalty corners, but both were wasted when the
stopper failed to make a dead stop, and the second one cost them a goal.
It was in the 31st minute, and Thunderbolt's bothced penalty corner was
turned into a counter attack by UniKL players, and Amir Farid tucked in
the ball from close range and then held onto the lead until the breather.
Thunderbolt were the more agressive side after the breather, and in the
41st minute, a penalty corner was turned into a penalty stroke after it hit a
defender's body.
National senior team player Faizal Saari stepped up to the spot and beat
goalkeeper Shahrul Azadin to throw a life-line to the League champions.
Thunderbolt took control of the match after that and had plenty of
chances to seal the match, but a diving Faizal and bungling forwards saw
the score remain tied.
However UniKL, who were contended with defending, finally mounted a
serious attack in the 61st minute, and Aminuddin Abu gave them the lead
again with a field attempt.
And the JHL newcomers played gallantly after that to hold onto the lead,
and become the Overall champions in their first attempt itself.
Meanwhile, in the bronze medal decider, Bukit Jalil Sports School
(BJSS) beat Petaling Jaya City Council (PJCC) with goals from Ahmad
Termidzi (11th, 45th), Fahed Saifulah (51st), Kavin Kartik (64th), and
Faridzul Afiq (67th).
The PJCC goal were scored by Hafiz Nawi in the 59th minute.
BJSS received RM7,000, while PJCC took home RM5,000 for finishing
fourth.
ROLL-OF-HONOUR: Best player of the Tournament: Firhan Ashaari
(Thunderbolt); Best Player of the Final: Aminuddin Abu (UniKL); Best
Goalkeepeer: Hazrul Faiz (BJSS); Top Scorer: Faizal Saari (Thunderbolt,
16 goals); Fairplay: Kelantan.
FINAL: Bandar Penawar Sports School Thunderbolt 1 UniKL 2; Third-
Fourth: Petaling Jaya City Council 1 Bukit Jalil Sports School 5.

Thunderbolt set to strike second time

UNIKL supporters at the KLHA Stadium.

JUNIOR Hockey League newcomers UniKL know what it feels like to finish second best, and that is why their players are not ready for to preform an encore in the Overall title fight at the Tun Razak Stadium today.
UniKL were were leading 1-0, and were 30 seconds from lifting the League title, when Bandar Penawar Sports School Thunderbolt dashed their dream by scoring the equaliser, and snatching the trophy on a better goals average.
Today, both the teams will lock horns again in what is expected to be a thriller finale to the Under-19 league.
“Playing in the semi-finals was an achievement for this new outfit, but my boys rose to the challenge and beat one sports school (Bukit Jalil), and now I expect to face a tougher time against another sports school.
“The route has not been easy, but the reward that awaits us is worth fighting for until the last minute,” said UniKL coach I. Vickneswaran.
Thunderbolt have the first-11 from the 2013 Junior World Cup training squad, as well as national seniors striker Faizal Saari to bank on, while UniKL will rely on the 2013 reserves today.
Thunderbolt coach Wan Roslan Rahman felt that they were lucky in the League, but can’t depend on another hand-out.
“We have some of the best juniors in the country, no doubt about it, but luck also played a great part in our success so far.
“We were lucky to score the equaliser 30 seconds from time for the League title, and then lucky that my players woke up in time to beat PJCC (Petaling Jaya City Council) 5-3 in the semi-finals.
“However, I hope my players have learnt their lessons well, and show their true potential in the first half and not leave matters to the last minute,” said Wan Roslan.
In the bronze playoff, Petaling Jaya City Council were slapped with a huge handicap as four of their players were banned from playing against Bukit Jalil Sports School Juniors.
PJCC goalkeeper Ahmad Syahir will sit out for man handling umpire Rosdi Pilus in the semi-finals, and he will also face the Disciplinary Board.
Three of his team mates, Shaharul Dennis Ruslan, Rashid Baharom and Fahmi Ashari, were handed one match suspension for abusing the umpires and technical officials after the final whistle of the ill tempered semis.
TODAY: Final -- Bandar Penawar Sports School Thun derbolt v UniKL (Tun Razak Stadium, 5.30pm); Third-Fourth: Petaling Jaya City Council v Bukit Jalil Sports School (Tun Razak Stadium, 3.30pm).

Thunderbolt-UniKL final

LEAGUE champions Bandar Penawar Sports School Thunderbolt came back from the dead before they beat Petaling Jaya City Council 5-3 in a highly charged MHF-Milo-NSC Junor Hockey League semi-final yesterday.
In the other semi-finals, UniKL beat Bukit Jalil Sports School 2-1 and will play Thunderbolt for the Overall title tomorrow.
Thunderbolt were leading 3-1 by the 48th minute, but lost their composure when PJCC scored two quick goals to equalise.
However, the comeback was marred when PJCC goalkeeper Ahmad Syahir ran towards umpire Rosdi Pilus and manhandled him in the 65th minute, prompting the umpire to flash the red card.
Ahmad had to be restrained by his own players and was escorted out of the pitch, and PJCC lost their scipt and then the match.
PJCC took the lead in the 13th minute through a Hafiz Nawi, but Thunderbolt equalised through Noor Faeez Ibrahim six minutes later through a penalty corner attempt.
Faeez gave his team the lead on the stroke of halftime via another
penalty corner.
Firhan Ashari then made it 3-1 for Thunderbolt in the 48th minute and the sports school thought they had the match in grips.
But PJCC fought back strongly after Rifan Azhar scored twice in as
many minutes, in the 50th and 52nd, to make in 3-3.
But after the red card, PJCC collapsed and, Faeez gave Thunderbolt the lead once again in the 61st minute before Fitri Saari made sure his team plays in the final by scoring the fifth in the 67th minute.
"It was the most difficult match for us since the JHL started and I congratulate PJCC players who were highly charged and committed. However, the red card marred the match and after that, I had to restrain some of my players and also PJCC players who wanted to have a go near the dresing room.
"But no untoward incident happened because cool heads prevailed, and now we are looking forward to winning the double on Sunday," said Thunderbolt coach Wan Roslan Rahman.
In the other semis, UniKL took the lead of Syamim Yusof in the 10th minute, only to see BJSS equalise through Faridzul Afiq in the 20th minute and the score remained till the breather.
However, a strike from Zulhairi Hashim in the 44th minute was enough to take UniKL into the final, and they could even afford to miss a penalty stroke in the 56th minute.
RESULTS: Semi-finals -- Bandar Penawar Sports School Thunderbolt 5 Petaling Jaya City Council 3; Bukit Jalil Sports School 1 UniKL 2.
TOMORROW: Final -- Bandar Penawar Sports School Thunderbolt v UniKL (Tun Razak Stadium, 5.30pm); Third-Fourth: Petaling Jaya City Council v Bukit Jalil Sports School (Tun Razak Stadium, 3.30pm).