Maybank walk into quarters

16/06/2003

MAYBANK became the first team to qualify for the Malaysia Hockey League
quarter-finals when they shut out overall defending champions Bank
Simpanan Nasional 4-2 at the Tun Razak Stadium yesterday.
Maybank, after six straight wins, were at their best yesterday and
capitalised on the seven penalty corners they received to send BSN
reeling.
BSN scored first off a Syed Imran Ali penalty corner in the second
minute but K. Gobinathan equalised off a 20th minute penalty corner and
the match looked like it could go either way.
Maybank turned up the heat, and Gobinathan was on target again in the
24th minute but four minutes later, Syed Imran levelled the score off his
second penalty corner.
After the break, BSN went into a defensive shell, and Maybank punished
them with a soft goal from Suhairi Saidi in the 47th minute. Hairul Nizam
sealed the match with a 59th minute penalty corner.
"This was a crucial win for us because the five previous matches were
against weaker teams. And after this, I expect the battle to be uphill
because we will be up against the big guns of the MHL," said Maybank coach
Wallace Tan.
"Today (yesterday) was certainly a turning point for the team because
every department clicked well. They have certainly improved since the
first match," said Wallace.
BSN coach C. Paramalingam said that now that the League title has been
thrown out the window, they will start planning to defend their overall
title.
"It is over for us (League title hopes), now I will have to work to
improve my 25-yard line to defend our Overall crown," said Paramalingam.
* AT the KLHA Stadium, Ernst & Young steamrolled Johor Baru Municipal
Council 8-0. Indian import Len Aiyappa increased his personal tally to 21
goals as he fired home five penalty corners in the 14th, 23rd, 29th, 44th
and 47th minutes.
The other Ernst & Young goals were scored by S. Shanker (12th), Chua
Boon Huat (18th) and Daniel Thomas (41st).
Results - Maybank 4 BSN 2, Ernst & Young 8 Johor Baru MC 0, RMR 2 Srii
Aroma 1, Sapura 4 Pahang SC 1.
(END)