Jaypee Punjab Warriors get their first win at home against Mumbai Magicians

Punjab Warriors made the most of their home advantage to storm to a 4-3 victory over hapless Mumbai Magicians in the Hockey India League match played at the Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium tonight.

It was the fifth straight defeat for the visitors and they remain in the cellar with five points while the home side moved up to 15 points but stay in fourth spot due to an inferior goal difference with UP Wizards who are level on the points tally. Punjab had won the earlier encounter in Mumbai by a 2-4 margin.

Sandeep Singh gave the visitors a deserving lead in the first session but an own goal by custodian P R Sreejesh and goals from Malak Singh, S V Sunil and Russell Ford turned the tide in favour of the home side. Glenn Turner pulled one back early in the fourth quarter with a lovely solo effort and Bharat Chettri’s blunder to let in a deflection by Mark Knowles off a Sarvanjit Singh hit into the circle for a self goal almost cost Punjab dear.

It was a crucial encounter for the two bottom placed teams, both packed with Australians, trying to steer clear of the basement and make the top four. Mumbai had the better of the exchanges in the opening session and forced four penalty corners during this period out of which Sandeep Singh converted the last one to put his side into the lead and take his tally in the tournament to six. The drag flick probably caught Jaap Stockman under the Punjab bar on the wrong foot as the ball screamed to his immediate right without any reaction from the Dutch stalwart.

Making light of the elimination of striker Shivendra Singh from the competition due to injury, Punjab even took off goalkeeper Jaap Stockman momentarily in order to bring in an additional foreign field player and force the pace. They patiently moved the ball around and finally got the equalizer late in the second session when a hit into the circle by midfielder Rob Hammond from the left flank was deflected into his own goal by Sreejesh. The hosts then squeaked into the lead at the end of the second quarter when Malak turned in a hit onto the boards following an attack from the left. Sunil had an excellent game on the right flank, making some darting runs and he got himself onto the score sheet by poaching a rebound from his own shot off Srejeesh’s pads.

But Turner’s super strike and Chettri’s shocking lapse saw Mumbai reduce the margin to 4-3 and almost spoil Punjab’s party.