Men's HIL: Ranchi Royals cap off home leg with third win on the trot 

Ranchi, Jan 16 (IANS) Ranchi Royals continued to build on their winning run in the Men’s Hockey India League (HIL), registering their third win on the bounce to prevail 4-1 against JSW Soorma Hockey Club in their final home game of the season at the Marang Gomke Jagpal Singh Astro Turf Hockey Stadium in Ranchi on Friday. 

A brace from Tom Boon (20’, 22’) and goals from Mandeep Singh (47’) and Manmeet Singh Rai (14’) helped Ranchi Royals jump to third place on the points table. Meanwhile, Jeetpal (52’) scored the only goal of the game for Soorma Club.

It was an engaging start to the game with both teams looking to lay down the marker in the early exchanges. JSW Soorma Hockey Club earned their first penalty corner within the first five minutes, creating the first set-piece opportunity of the game.

Despite three penalty corners in the first quarter, they couldn’t find a way past Suraj Karkera in goal for Ranchi Royals. Both teams had 8 circle entries in the first fifteen minutes, but it was the Royals who took the lead against the run of play after Sam Lane’s clever ricochet found its way to Manmeet Singh Rai (14’). The midfielder managed to guide the ball into the back of the net, putting his side in the ascendancy towards the end of the first quarter.

Having got their noses in front, the Ranchi Royals grew in confidence and began to spring passes around to stretch the Soorma defence. They soon doubled their lead courtesy of Tom Boon (20’) scoring from close range after Lachlan Sharp’s initial effort fell his way in the circle. The Belgian then converted his dragflick from a penalty corner two minutes later, giving the Royals a three-goal cushion as they dominated the contest heading into halftime.

Soorma Hockey Club had the majority of possession in the second half as they looked to find some momentum. They were a whisker away from netting a goal before it was cleared off the line by Joshua Beltz, keeping Ranchi Royals’ three-goal advantage intact. The hosts also had a couple of chances of their own, most notably with Sam Lane’s shot on target, in a third quarter where they controlled the tempo.

The Ranchi Royals put the result beyond all doubt early in the final quarter with Araijeet Singh Hundal setting up Mandeep Singh (47’). The latter rounded the Soorma keeper before scoring a fourth goal for his side, reflecting their supremacy in this contest. With eight minutes to go in the contest, JSW Soorma Hockey Club continued to push forward and found the back of the net as Jeetpal (52’) scored for them. However, that only proved to be a consolation goal as the Ranchi Royals wrapped up their home leg with their third win on the bounce.

--IANS

bsk/