Delhi Waveriders lose to Jaypee Punjab Warriors

2nd February, 2016; New Delhi: Hosts, Delhi Waveriders had to face another defeat of 2-5 against Jaypee Punjab Warriors today in the 15th match of the 4th edition of the Coal India Hockey League. This is the second consecutive loss for Delhi Waveriders, both on their home turf, Shivaji Stadium, New Delhi. The hosts who defeated Jaypee Punjab Warriors in their opening game in Chandigarh lost out to the same team 2-5 today in the return leg. With this win Jaypee Punjab Warriors share the third place in the points table (17 points) with Kalinga Lancers and Delhi Waveriders.

Hosts, Delhi Waveriders began their campaign on a slow note after yesterday’s loss, but the visitors capitalised early through a penalty corner conversion through Mark Gleghorne in the 10th minute, giving Jaypee Punjab Warriors an early lead of 1-0. The visitors were seen playing beautiful hockey as they successfully marked all the players of Delhi Waveriders. Their attacking game was soon rewarded with another penalty corner in the 11th minute, and Mark Knowles made no mistake in converting the same extending their lead to 2-0. Sardar Singh and his team were on an attacking spree today as most of the game in the first half was happening in the Delhi circle and such a pressing game led to a third consecutive penalty for the visitors in the 22nd minute. Christopher Ciriello made no mistake in converting the penalty corner giving Jaypee Punjab Warriors a massive 3-0 lead in the first half of the game.

The third quarter of the match saw Delhi Waveriders enter the field with a different strategy. The hosts started playing an attacking game and their efforts saw results in the opening minute of the third quarter through a penalty corner conversion from Rupinder Pal Singh, taking the score to 1-3 still in the favour of Jaypee Punjab Warriors. Jaypee Punjab Warriors came back strongly and scored a field goal in the 37th minute on the counter through Jake Whetton taking the score to 5-1 in their favour. Delhi continued with their pressing game but some extraordinary saves by Triston Clemans, Jaypee Punjab warriors Goal Keeper ensured that the visitors maintained their lead in the match. The fourth and final quarter of the match saw the hosts playing at their attacking best, but the visitors displayed top class hockey foiling all the attempts to score from Delhi Waveriders. Delhi still did not lose hope and kept attacking and were rewarded with another penalty corner in the 55th minute which was duly converted by Rupinder Pal Singh who scored his and the teams second goal today. The match ended with a score of 2-5 in the favour of Jaypee Punjab Warriors.

The Coal India Goal of the Match award of INR 50,000 was presented by Mr. GK Vashisht, General Manager, Coal India Limited to Jake Whetton from Jaypee Punjab Warriors, while Surendra Kumar from Delhi Waverider walked away with the Most Entertaining Player of the Match award. Sardar Singh from Jaypee Punjab Warriors won the Man of the Match award of INR 50,000 and his team mate Varun Kumar won the INR 25,000 Hero Emerging Player of the Match award.

The next match of the 4th Coal India Hockey India League will be played between Dabang Mumbai and Defending Champions Ranchi Rays at the Mahindra Hockey Stadium, Mumbai on 3rd February, 2016. The six team annual franchise based hockey league, the flagship event of Hockey India - the apex body governing the sport in the country and sanctioned by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) is being played across six venues in India from 18th January - 21st February 2016.

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