KLHC still in control

KUALA Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) bungled a
handful of sitters, but still walked away 3-2 winners
against Maybank in the Premier Division of the
Malaysia Hockey League yesterday.
KLHC, who drew 2-2 with Maybank in the first
round, are now poised to lift the League title if they
win at least three of their remaining five matches.
Yesterday, Razie Rahim started the count with a
penalty corner attempt in the seventh minute, while
Ahmad Anuar Sham made it 2-0 in the 11th minute
off a field attempt.
However, Maybank pulled one back in the 15th
minute when N. Ugentheren scored off a soft field
attempt.
National player Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin saved the
blushes for KLHC with a sizzling top-of-the-net shot
in the 41st minute, as Maybank won a penalty
corner in the 70th minute and Tengku's goal turned
crucial.
Engku Malek made it 2-3 for Maybank off the last
attempt, but time ran out for his side.
"My players found it hard to concentrate because
the heat was unbearable (the match started at
3.30pm), but still, we did enough to keep the title in
sight.
"Now, if other teams falter, we might just win the
title with a few matches to spare. But even then, if
we keep the momentum and win three more
matches (out of remaining five), we will be at the
top of the podium anyway," said KLHC coach K.
Dharmaraj.
Maybank were a jaded side, as their main
defender K. Gobinathan and penalty corner flicker
Hairul Nizam were suspended for this match after
picking up maximum demerit points.
In another match, Sapura delt a blow to Yayasan
Negri Sembilan's dreams by edging them 2-1.
The first half was scoreless, but just after the
rain-delayed re-start, Sapura nailed the lead off
Izwan Firdaus in the 39th minute, but YNS equalised
off Deepak Thakur in the 46th minute.
Former national skipper S. Kuhan delived the
killer blow when he nailed the winner for Sapura in
the 49th minute off a penalty corner attempt.
RESULTS: Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club 3 Maybank
2, Yayasan Negri Sembilan 1 Sapura 2, Armed
Forces-Airod 1 UniKL 2, UiTM 3 Nur Insafi 2.
FIXTURES -- Premier Division: Today: UiTM v
Sapura (Tun Razak Stadium, 4pm), Nur Insafi v
UniKL (Tun Razak Stadium, 6pm), Yayasan Negri
Sembilan v Tenaga Nasional (Tun Razak Stadium,
8pm), Armed Forces-Airod v Maybank (KLHA, 5pm).
Division One -- Today: Bandar Penawar Sports
School v Ipoh City Hall (Bandar Penawar, 5pm),
Malacca City Council v Armed Forces Juniors
(Malacca, 5pm), Universiti Sains Malaysia v UniTen
(USM, 5pm).

STANDINGS

PREMIER DIVISION
Armed

P W D L F A Pt
KLHC 11 9 1 1 50 17 28
UNIKL 11 7 2 2 20 15 23
YNS 11 7 0 4 36 24 21
TNB 10 6 1 3 21 12 19
SAPURA 10 6 0 4 29 20 18
NUR INSAFI 11 4 1 6 20 32 13
MAYBANK 10 1 3 6 9 17 6
ATM 11 2 0 9 11 34 6
UITM 11 2 0 9 17 41 6

DIVISION ONE
P W D L F A Pt
ATM JNR 7 6 1 0 20 4 19
BJSS 7 4 0 3 15 8 12
BPSS 6 4 0 2 12 10 12
IPOH CH 8 3 2 3 14 16 11
MALACCA CC 7 3 0 4 10 9 9
USM 7 2 0 5 9 22 6
UNITEN 6 0 1 5 3 14 1