SAI Lucknow beat PNBH Academy to win Inter-Academies Tourney

Mumbai, Aug 29 (UNI) SAI Lucknow scored a brilliant victory to beat Punjab National Bank Hockey Academy (Delhi) 4-3 to clinch the inaugural All India Inter-Academies Hockey Tournament at the Mahindra Stadium here today.

Punjab National Bank Hockey Academy took control of the match as by the eighth minute they pumped in two goals through Ravindra Tewatia in the fifth minute and Ved Prakash in the eighth minute, both being field goals to go up 2-0.

SAI Lucknow, however, reduced the margin before the lemon break when Mohd. Asif converted an indirectly taken penalty corner just before the breather.

In the second half, SAI Lucknow ran circles around the Punjab National Bank Hockey Academy defence pumping in three goals in nine minutes with Mohd Javed scoring a field goal in the 46th minute.

Skipper Janardan Gupta then converted an indirectly taken penalty corner in the 49th minute to put his side up by 3-2 and then another field goal by Jay Karan in the 55th minute gave SAI Lucknow a 4-2 lead.

Punjab National Bank Hockey Academy did manage to pull a goal back, but that came in the dying moments of the game through N K Sharma who converted an indirectly taken penalty corner. However, this was not enough for the Delhi side to stop SAI Lucknow from winning the championship with a 4-3 scoreline.

SAI Lucknow were richer by Rs 40,000 in prize money and a glittering trophy for winning the Championship, while Punjab National Bank Hockey Academy had to be content with Rs 20,000 in prize money and a trophy.

In the match for the third place, Surjit Hockey Academy beat earlier title favourites Punjab and Sind Bank Hockey Academy 4-3 via the tie breaker. Surjit Hockey Academy got a prize money of Rs 10,000 for finishing third.

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