GTB Hockey: Indian Oil, SCR score 2nd straight win

Former champions Indian Oil, Mumbai and South Central Railway (SCR), Secundrabad today posted their second successive wins and are virtually through to the semi-finals of the 13th PMC Bank-Guru Tegh Bahadur Gold Cup All India Hockey Tournament.
In a Pool-B match played in the afternoon, Indian Oil scored a 4-2 win against MHAL President's XI. Later in the evening, SCR produced another slick combined performance to overcome Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) 3-1 in a Pool-A match played here.
Indian Oil had defeated Central Railway, Mumbai 7-1 on Tuesday, while SCR beat Indian Navy 3-1 in their opening match on Monday.

Both Indian Oil and SCR top their respective pools with six points each.
MHAL President's XI and BPCL have lost both their matches so far and are out of contention of making the semis.
BPCL had lost to Punjab Police 0-1 on Tuesday, while President's XI were beaten 3-1 by Army XI on the opening day.

SCR showed good coordination to launch a number of sorties at the rival citadel and dominated play.
First Gagandeep Singh scored through a penalty corner in the ninth minute and two minutes later Mayank James slotted home from a neat combined move to take a 2-0 cushion.

BPCL hit back when Mumbai lad Devinder Walmiki sounded the boards in the 17th minute.
But the Secundrabad outfit continued to hold the upper hand and after a couple of close misses, they added the third goal when James deflected home Poonacha's firm hit into the striking circle in the 63rd minute to secure the win.
Earlier, Indian Oil skipper Deepak Thakur scored a field goal in the second minute. MHAL managed to draw level when Nikhil Pardeshi converted a penalty corner in the eighth minute.
But seven minutes later, Indian Oil regained the lead through Sunil Yadav's penalty corner conversion and they went into the break with a slender 2-1 lead.

Indian Oil added the third through drag-flicker Gagandeep Singh's penalty corner in the 45th minute. The President outfit reduced the deficit when Mayur Patil scored from a field effort in the 65th minute before Indian Oil once again hit the target through Sukhjeet Singh in the 68th minute to complete their win.