Varun Kumar produced a scintillating performance as he scored twice to help the Indian hockey junior men's team beat Hampstead & Westminster 3-0 in their England tour encounter at the Bisham Abbey Sports Centre today.
A cautious start to the game meant both teams played the ball in the midfield, with neither breaking out into the other's circle. Within the opening few exchanges though India had a chance go amiss via a counter. The opportunity galvanised the Indian team and soon they were the ones doing all the creating, using the flanks to create chances.
With half time approaching Ajay Pandey scored the opener to give India the lead.
In the second half, Simranjeet and Nilakanta had two quick chances denied by Hampstead & Westminster's goalkeeper, before Varun Kumar capitalized on a penalty corner to convert for a 2-0 lead.
Hampstead & Westminster soon started exerting pressure on the Indian defence, controlling the ball and creating the chances. India's defence held strong though and playing on the counter and the team kept creating chances to keep the opponents on the lookout. With ten minutes left, India had a PC and a chance to put the result beyond doubt. Varun Kumar didn't miss from the spot.
India held on strong in the final minutes, defending well to ensure that not only would they win by a good margin, but they would also gather their first clean sheet of the tour.
