Leaders suffer on slippery pitch

KUALA Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) and Tenaga Nasional had close shaves on a slippery pitch, but did just enough to win three points in the Premier Division of the Malaysia Hockey League yesterday.
Playing at the Azlan Shah Stadium in Ipoh, KLHC beat ATM-Airod 3-1 while TNB edged UiTM 3-2.
The Azlan Shah Stadium was practically covered with fungus, and an effort to wash it down with high-powered water jets proved to be futile as KLHC coach K. Dharmaraj said it was a slippery match, and they were lucky to collect three points.
“The pitch was covered with fungus when we arrived yesterday (Thursday) and some workers tried to wash it with high-powered jets but it remained slippery and it turned into a difficult match,” said Dharmaraj.
And the fact that the Army men packed their circle made it more difficult for KLHC to score: “The Army team practically packed their circle and that is one reason why we could not score more goals. The other was that, although we had plenty of penalty corner chances but hit the post three times and it made out task that much harder,” said Dharmaraj.
Former international Chua Boon Huat stole the KLHC thunder with a brace. He scored the first in the 10th minute, but the Army boys equalised off Ahmad Ridzuan Zainal Abidin 46th minute.
However, Chua gave KLHC the lead again in the 51st minute, while Razie Rahim made it a respectable 3-1 with a 69th minute penalty corner attempt.
In the second match, TNB were lucky to collect full points and keep their position at the top of the table.
Tajol Rosli scored for TNB in the fifth minute and Mahinder Singh gave them a further boost with a 19th minute at tempt.
But Uitm shocked the Charity Shield holders in 44th minute via a penalty corner when Faheed Saifullah tucked the ball past S. Kumar.
TNB made it 3-1 in the 59th minute when Muhamad Fikri Bassar scored and it saved the day as Eldon Lemery reduced the deficit to 3-2 with a 70th thundering shot.

PREMIER DIVISION

RESULTS:
Kuala Lumpur HC 3 ATM-Airod 1, TNB 3 UiTM 2, Maybank 0 Nur Insafi 2, Sapura 1 UniKL 2.
SATURDAY
Yayasan Negri Sembilanv UiTM (3pm), Kuala lumpur HC v Nur Insafi (4.45pm), TNB v UniKL (6.30pm, Live Ch 801), Maybank v Sapura (8.15pm, Live Ch 801).
*All matches at Azlan Shah Stadium, Ipoh

STANDINGS
P W D L F A Pt
TNB 4 3 1 0 9 3 10
KLHC 4 3 0 1 15 8 9
NUR INSAFI 3 3 0 0 8 3 9
UNIKL-TRC 3 3 0 0 7 4 9
MAYBANK 4 1 1 2 4 7 4
SAPURA 4 1 0 3 12 13 3
YNS 3 1 0 2 8 9 3
UITM 3 0 0 3 4 8 0
ATM-AIROD 4 0 0 4 4 16 0

DIVISION ONE
RESULTS:
Bukit Jalil Sports School 1 Malacca CC 0, Bandar Penawar Sports School 4 Universiti Sains Malaysia 1, ATM Jnrs 4 UniTen 0.
SUNDAY
Ipoh CC v Bandar Penawar Sports School (Azlan Shah Stadium, 5pm), ATM Jnrs v Malacca CC (Tun Razak Stadium, 5pm), UniTen v Universiti Sains Malaysia (KLHA Stadium, 5pm).
STANDINGS

P W D L F A Pt
ATM JNR 2 2 0 0 6 1 6
BJSS 3 2 0 1 7 3 6
BPSS 2 2 0 0 7 2 6
IPOH CH 3 1 1 1 8 8 4
MALACCA CC 3 1 0 2 3 4 3
USM 4 1 0 3 7 14 3
UNITEN 3 0 1 2 2 8 1