Hockey National C'ship: Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra register win on Day 4

Pune (Maharashtra) [India], December 15 (ANI): Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Maharashtra were among the winners on Day Four of the 11th Hockey India Senior Men's National Championship in Pimpri Chinchwad on Tuesday.
In the days' opener from Pool F, the Hockey Association of Odisha and Bengal played a hugely entertaining 3-3 draw.
In the topsy turvy game, it was the Hockey Association of Odisha who struck first, Abhijeet Swain (12'), Sibren Lakra (15'), and Rahul Ekka (28') scoring to give them a comfortable lead going into halftime. At that time, it seemed like the result was in no question.
Two minutes into the third quarter though, Raushan Kumar struck to give Hockey Bengal hope, and a brace by Nitish Neupane (46', 53') ensured they completed a marvelous turnaround to split the points. The two teams are locked on points at the top of the table.
In Pool F's second game Gujarat beat Goans Hockey 4-3 in a high-scoring affair. Goals for Gujarat were scored by Poonam Thakor (6'), Ajaykumar Thakor (18'), Dharmesh Mir (24'), and Divyesh Miyatra (45'). Goans Hockey's goal scorers were Dattesh Priolkar (17'), Issub Sayyed (41'), and Abbusaliya Havaldar (54').
Uttar Pradesh beat Jharkhand 3-0 in Pool G. A brace for Ajay Yadav (15', 56') and a goal by Faraz Mohd (4') gave Uttar Pradesh Hockey a comfortable victory, as they kept up their perfect start at the top of the table.
Kerala beat Assam 2-1 in a tense Pool G encounter. Goals by Athul Shaju (22') and Muhammed Siyas K (28') gave Kerala Hockey a comfortable lead as the teams went into the break.
Right at the end of the third quarter though Prashant Kabeer Sen's 43rd-minute strike gave Assam a lifeline and set up the final quarter perfectly. Kerala Hockey held on to take the three points.
Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu trounced Telangana 7-0 in their Pool A match. Goals for the Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu were scored by S Karthi (12', 26', 57'), Sundarapandi (2'), Pruthvi GM (32'), Mareeswaran Sakthivel (37'), and S Silver Stalin (44').
In Pool H, Bihar beat Hockey Mizoram 6-1. A hat trick by Subash Sanga (34', 37', 57') and goals by Mukesh Lakra (4') , Sujit Roshan Tigga (40'), and Samuel Topno (54') gave Bihar a comfortable victory. Hockey Mizoram's goal was scored by Lamremdika in the 60th minute.
In the last game of the day from Pool H, Maharashtra beat Chhattisgarh by 9-2. Goals for Hockey Maharashtra were scored by Taleb Shah (4', 30', 55'), Venkatesh Kenche (11'), Tikaram Thakulla (15'), Pratap Kishanrao Shinde (34', 42'), and Mohd Nizamuddin (47', 50'). Goals for Chhattisgarh Hockey were scored by Kartik Yadav (16') and Junaid Ahmed (35'). (ANI)