Services beat Kerala, hosts

Srinagar, Jun 7 (UNI) Quarter-final league match of 62nd National Football championship for Santosh trophy between hosts Jammu and Kashmir and defending champion Punjab was abandoned after local Team fans pelted stones wh3n visitors scored a goal in the second half.

While in another quarter-final of the same group, Services outplayed Kerala 3-0 and are placed at a comfortable position to qualify for the Semifinals leaving meager chances for Kerala, that down-railed hosts in the earlier encounter.

Police resorted to lathi charge to disperse the violent spectators who damaged holding boards and pelted stones.

The trouble started when Punjab striker Sukhwinder Singh put the ball into net beating the hosts goalkeeper Vikramjeet Singh.

The supporters of the hosts team started shouting slogans and started damaging the chairs and other furniture.

The Punjab players were immediately taken to safe place.

The match could not be resumed because of clash between police and spectators.

According to Prof Bashir Ahmad Shah, chief spokesman of Jammu and Kashmir Football Association (JKFA), the match between home team and Punjab could not get completed due to disturbance caused in the second half of the match.

The disturbance started midway through the second half, when both the teams were goalless.

All of a sudden huge shouts against local media went up in the northern pavilion that caught intensity in the whole crowd and before it could reach to the Central Referee Rizwan-ul-haq, a goal was scored by Punjab team as Sukhvinder placed a sharper in to nets of JK goal post.

Meanwhile, thousands of spectators go violent against the whole media personals, who were present in the ground to catch live moments of the match, he said.

The match was abandoned by the Match Commissioner Rakesh Bakshi.

Later the Disciplinary Committee of AIFF met and heard both the captains and also the Match Commissioner and the referees Inspector.

Mr Shah said it was decided that as per the rules of the championship the match concerned will be played on June 8 for the remaining period only.

In another encounter, a hat-trick by S Ralleng helped Services to defeat Kerala 3-0.

After a goalless breather, Services dominated Kerala in the second half.

Striker S Ralleng scored thrice (20th, 27th and 40th minutes) in the second half.

The first goal who scored via head while the two others through field goals beating the Kerala defenders.

Kerala got a number of chances in the first half of the game.

However, the strong defence of Services foiled all attempts of them.

UNI FMH RKM ND2116