UniKL singing the Blues over blue pitch..

THREE Thunderbolts virtually booked their semi-final slots in the TNB Cup when they went on a scoring spree in the first leg quarter-finals Friday.
  League champions SSTMI Thunderbolts hammered Perlis Young Lions Juniors 7-1, SSP-MSP Thunderbolts whitewashed Sabah Sports School 8-1; while Bukit Jalil Sports School Thunderbolts beat BJSS Juniors 6-3.
  The only quarter-finals still alive in the return leg is between Anderson Thunderbolts and UniKL Young Guns -- which ended with the Ipoh school winning 3-2.
  UniKL took a 2-0 lead but Anderson, who rose from Division Two, gave a super fight to level the score and nailed a final minute penalty corner goal to keep alive a dream of seeing four Thunderbolts in the semi-finals.
  However, UniKL is singing the blues as they will not be able to train at the Azlan Shah Stadium blue tournament pitch today.
  UniKL have contacted Ipoh City Council, Perak HA and Malaysian Hockey Confederation officials on the matter but have hit a brick wall.
  Coach I. Vickneswaran was fuming mad at the disadvantage: "How can they do this to us? It's an important return leg which Anderson will host us but we are not allowed to train at the Azlan Shah Stadium main blue pitch tomorrow (today)."
  Vickneswaran said they have contacted all the relevant authorities, and are even willing to pay to train at the main pitch -- but the answer was a big NO.
  "On the other hand, Anderson have been training and playing at the main stadium this whole season under the banner of Perak Malaysia Games team.
  "Winning and losing is a part of the game, but let there be fairplay," said Vickneswaran.
  Anderson team manager said Saiyuti Samat: "We came here (Bukit Jalil) to clain a draw or a win, as we know that we have the advantage in the return leg on Sunday at our own back-yard in front of our school fans. I believe we will be able to qualify for the semi-finals."
  UniKL took the lead off Nurasyraf Rosli (17th) and Wan Haziq Hisyamuddin (26th) but Anderson equalised off Nur Syahmi Zulkifli (49th) and Azrai Aizad (52nd) before winning a final minute penalty corner and Najme Ahmad tucked the ball in for a slim lead going into the second leg.
  RESULTS: TNB Cup q-finals First Leg: SSTMI Thunderbolts 7 Perlis Young Lions Juniors 1, SSP-MSP Thunderbolts 8 Sabah Sports School 1, UniKL Young Guns 2 Anderson Thunderbolts 3, BJSS Thunderbolts 6 BJSS Juniors 3.
  SUNDAY: TNB Cup q-finals Second Leg: Perlis Young Lions Juniors v SSTMI Thunderbolts (SSTMI, 5pm), Sabah Sports School v SSP-MSP Thunderbolts (Pitch II, 7pm), Anderson Thunderbolts v UniKL Young Guns (Azlan Shah, 5pm), BJSS Juniors v BJSS Thunderbolts (Pitch I, 7pm).
  Note: Matches at National Stadium Bukit Jalil unless stated

Can UniKL deny Thunderbolts sweep?

LEAGUE champions SSTMI Thunderbolts are expected to have a walk in the park when they play Perlis Young Lions Juniors in both the legs of the TNB Cup quarter-finals starting Friday.
  The five-time consecutive double champions SSTMI have a super record to rely on, as in six years, they have only lost one match -- 2-0 to UniKL Young Guns on 21 Feb.
  Perlis Young Lions, on the other end, rose from Division Two and even lost to Anderson Thunderbolts 1-0 in the lower division final.
  Both the legs will be played at SSTMI's grounds, giving them an added advantage which they do not need.
  The other quarter-finals also favour Division One teams, as UniKL Young Guns, BJSS Thunderbolts and SSP-MSP Thunderbolts are expected to proceed to the semi-finals 
  However, if Anderson Thunderbolts pull off an upset it will be a Thunderbolts semi-finals.
  Perlis and UniKL are the only non-Thunderbolts in the quarter-finals: "For us, we want to go al the way to the final and the first step would be to beat Anderson. Even though they rose from Division Two, I expect it to be a tough match -- but the outcome should favour us," said UniKL coach I. Vickneswaran.
  However, Anderson team manager Saiyuti Samat begs to differ, as he is looking for a clean Thunderbolts sweep this season.
  "My players have progressed well this season, and we are only obne step from creating history of having all four Thunderbolts in the semi-finals.
  "And I believe my players will not disappoint, as UniKL can be beaten," said Saiyuti.
  For UniKL to deny this upset, they must perform well in the first leg which will be held at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil. For, return leg will be held at Anderson's den -- the Azlan Shah Stadium.
  FRIDAY: TNB Cup q-finals First Leg: SSTMI Thunderbolts v Perlis Young Lions Juniors (SSTMI, 5pm), SSP-MSP Thunderbolts v Sabah Sports School (5pm, Pitch II), UniKL Young Guns v Anderson Thunderbolts (5pm, Pitch I), BJSS Thunderbolts v BJSS Juniors (7pm, Pitch II).
  SUNDAY: TNB Cup q-finals Second Leg: Perlis Young Lions Juniors v SSTMI Thunderbolts (SSTMI, 5pm), Sabah Sports School v SSP-MSP Thunderbolts (Pitch II, 7pm), Anderson Thunderbolts v UniKL Young Guns (Azlan Shah, 5pm), BJSS Juniors v BJSS Thunderbolts (Pitch I, 7pm).
  Note: Matches at National Stadium Bukit Jalil unless stated.

TNB CUP: Easy draw for SSTMI Thunderbolts

DIVISION One League champions SSTMI Thunderbolts received a bonus draw when they were paired with Division Two's Perlis Young Lions in the TNB CUP quarter-finals on March 4.
  Perlis is the weakest team in the knock-out stage, and they have been paired with the strongest side in the Junior Hockye League.
  Yesterday, Perlis held Sabah Sports School to a 2-2 draw in the Division Two third-fourth play-off but lost out 3-1 in the penalty shoot out.
  The other q-finals will see BJSS Thunderbolts play their brothers BJSS Juniors, while Division One runners-up SSP-MSP will meet Sabah Sports School. UniKL young Guns, third in Division One, have been paired with Anderson Thunderbolts.
  Yesterday, Anderson Thunderbolts beat BJSS Juniors 1-0 in the Division Two play-off final.
  On paper, all four Division One teams should proceed to the semi-finals barring upsets.
  UniKL Young Guns, who last lifted the TNB Cup in 2010, aim for a home run this seaon.
  "Even though Anderson (Thunderbolts) are from Division Two, we will still give them the respect all the other three Thunderbolts teams deserve. Tenaga Nasional would not have picked them to be under their programme if they were not strong in basics," said UniKL Young Guns coach I. Vickneswaran.
  The interesting part of the draw is that UniKL, if they advance to the semis, will avoid SSTMI and SSP-MSP as they are drawn against the winners of BJSS Thunderbolts or BJSS Juniors.
  "Yes, but it is also interesting to note that we beat SSTMI and SSP-MSP in the League but were beaten by BJSS. So, there are no easy matchesmin the knock-out stages," said Vickneswaran.
  RESULTS -- JHL Division Two play-off: Final -- Anderson Thunderbolts 1 BJSS Juniors 0; Third-Fourth: Sabah Sports School 2 Perlis Young Lions Juniors 2 (Sabah win shoot-out 3-1).
  March 4: TNB Cup q-finals First Leg: SSTMI Thunderbolts v Perlis Young Lions Juniors (to be decided), SSP-MSP Thunderbolts v Sabah Sports School (Bukit Jalil), UniKL Young Guns v Anderson Thunderbolts (Bukit Jalil), BJSS Thunderbolts v BJSS Juniors (Bukit Jalil).
  March 6: TNB Cup q-finals Second Leg: Perlis Young Lions Juniors v SSTMI Thunderbolts (to be decided), Sabah Sports School v SSP-MSP Thunderbolts (Bukit Jalil), Anderson Thunderbolts v UniKL Young Guns (Bukit Jalil), BJSS Juniors v BJSS Thunderbolts (Bukit Jalil).

MHC: We've cleared 93 per cent of our debts

Pic by Utusan Malaysia. Subahan (right).

THE Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) held their fifth Executive Board meting in Malacca Saturday, and announced that they have cleared 93 percent out of their RM2.6 million inherited from the previous regime.
  Former president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah left the huge amount for incoming president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal to clear, and team-work saw the MHC back in the black.
  Subahan and his team took over in May last year: "We are happy to announce that the MHC has managed to clear 93 per cent of our debt in such a short time and are looking forward to implementing more development and other programmes with the help of our sponsors," said MHC CEO K. Logan Raj.
  The other topics discussed at the EB meeting were the progress of the National teams as well as 1Mas Development programme.
  "The target is to get back into the Olympics and also the senior and junior World Cups. Numerous programmes are under way towards achieving these dreams," said Logan.
  The MHC are also on a 'campaign' to get closer to their state reps, and that is why the meeting was meld in Malacca. Two matches between the senior and development teams were also held recently in Malacca and Seremban to move away from centralising everything in Kuala Lumpur.
  Meanwhile, the Division Two Round Two final between Anderson Thunderbolts and BJSS Thunderbolts is expected to go to the wire today.
  Both teams, as well as third-and fourth place play off teams Sabah Sports School  and Perlis Young Lions Juniors, have qualified for the TNB CUP two-leg quarter-finals on March 4.
  The four teams which qualified from Division One are SSTMI Thunderbolts, SSP-MSP Thunderbolts, BJSS Thunderbolts and UniKL Young Guns.
  Anderson team manager Saiyuti Samad said: "We have already achieved our aims of playing in Division One next year and also qualifying for the TNB Cup, and now our new targets are to win the Division Two play off and then attempt an upset in the TNB Cup quarter-finals."
  But Perlis Young Lions Juniors are a gritty side as they beat favourites TBSS Tampin 4-3 in the group stages of the play off by displaying sheer determination.
  SUNDAY: JHL Division Two play-off: Final -- Anderson Thunderbolts v BJSS Juniors (7pm); Third-Fourth: Sabah Sports School v Perlis Young Lions Juniors (5pm).
  Note: Both matches at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

Perlis Lions edge TBSS Tampin 4-3 for quarters...

PERLIS Young Lions Juniors came back from a goal down to beat TBSS Tampin 4-3 and qualify for the quarter-finals of the TNB CUP on March 4.
  The four teams from Division Two which qualified for the quarter-finals after the play-off are Anderson Thunderbolts, BJSS Juniors, Sabah Sports School and Perlis Young Lions Juniors.
  Tomorrow, BJSS will play against Anderson in the final while the other two teams will play in a third-fourth classification.
  Anderson and BJSS Juniors also qualified to play in Division One next year, while Nur Insafi and SSTMI Juniors were relegated.
  From Division One, SSTMI Thunderbolts, BJSS Thunderbolts, SSP-MSP Thunderbolts and UniKL Young Guns qualified for the last eight action.
  TBSS, needing only a draw to play in the quarter-finals, took the lead off V. Vengadeswaran in the 12th minute, but Perlis played their hearts out and won the grueling battle.
  The other TBSS goals were scored by Aiman Shahmi (37th) and Farhan Zain (50th)
  While Perlis got their goals off Faiz Nasri (20th), Nur Hakin Bakri (34th), Syawal Najmi (42nd) and the winner was delivered by Syukur Abu Bakar in the 63rd minute.
  In a Group X match, Sabah Sports School hammered Penang MSSP-USM 8-3 to finish second and qualify for the quarter-finals. Sabah will now play in the third-fourth classification match against xxx.
  RESULTS: Group X: Sabah Sports School 8 Penang MSSP-USM 3; Group Y: TBSS Tampin 3 Perlis Young Lions Juniors 4.
  GIRLS JHL -- Group A: SSTMI Thunderbolts 9 SMK Tun Hussein Onn 0, Southern Girls 0 Sabah Sports School 2, SMK Za'aba 0 Selangor Girls 0.
  Group B: MSN Kedah 9 YP-MSP-PHP 0, SMKGR Highlanders 2 MSNT-SMKPM 5, Kuala Lumpur Wipers 17 SMK Sultan Ibrahim 0.
  TOMORROW: JHL Division Two play-off: Final -- Anderson Thunderbolts v BJSS Juniors (7pm); Third-Fourth: Sabah v Perlis (5pm).
  Note: Both matches at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil. 
  

  GROUP X


           P  W  D  L  F   A  Pts
ANDERSON   2  2  0  0  15  5   6
SABAH      2  1  0  1   12 8   3
PENANG     2  0  0  2   4 18   0


GROUP Y

             P  W  D  L  F   A  Pts
BJSS JNRS    2  1  1  0  5   4   4
PERLIS       2  1  0  1  7   7   3
TBSS TAMPIN  2  0  1  1  4   5   1