BSF, CISF and CESC in semifinals

By Our Special Correspondent

KOLKATA, APRIL 6: Local league side Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation (CESC), Border Security Force (BSF), Jalandhar and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) joined Punjab & Sind Bank (PSB) in the semifinals of the Indian Oil Servo 106th Beighton Cup hockey tournament here on Friday.

This was the first time CESC made it to the semifinals of this tournament along with the favourite PSB. En route to the last four stage, CESC defeated Bangladesh XI 3-1 in the final quarterfinal league game to log with six points from two wins and one loss from top half of the quarterfinal league. PSB today beat Sports Authority of India (SAI) 3-1 to emerge league topper with nine points.

In the bottom half of the quarterfinal league, CISF's Gregory Valerian Xaxa scored the tournament's first hat-trick as his team eliminated Army XI beating it 3-0. This win enabled CISF to top the league with seven points from two wins and one draw while, BSF downed Sikh Regimental Centre (SRC), Ramgarh, 3-1 to book the semifinal berth as No. 2. BSF ended with five points.

In the semifinals, PSB will take on BSF and CISF will clash with CESC on Saturday. The final is slated for Monday.

SRC, which lost its third straight match, played spirited game before stumbling in the 27th minute to a Marianus Lakra's field goal. SRC fought back and equalised in the 32nd minute following a penalty corner but two strikes in the 65th and 68th minutes by Peter Tirkey and Christopher Ekka respectively ended its chances of an upset.

Though PSB struck first in the sixth minute through Baljeet Singh Chandi slamming in a cross from right from Warpreet Singh for the first goal, SAI youngsters thwarted Chandi twice in the early first half from scoring. PSB, however, scored its second goal through Sandeep Singh Seep a minutes before halftime with a fine solo effort.

A minute inside the second half, Seep scored again trapping a 16- yard long pass from Baljeet Singh Saini, dribbled past a defender and reverse flicked on entering the striking circle. SAI put the pressure at the fag end of the game and scored in the 52nd minute through Edmond Kerketta following a penalty corner. Two more chances came SAI's way but the PSB defence stood the test well.

Xaxa's first of the three goals for CISF came in the 38th minute following a penalty corner. The centre forward scored his second in the 52nd and converted a penalty corner in the 65th to put paid to the semifinals aspirations of the Army XI.

Anil Ekka put CESC ahead in the 25th minute with a fine field goal and Sunil Soren hit in the second in the 63rd off a right wing cross from Ekka. Two minutes later Mansud Alam reduced for Bangladesh XI but CESC put the match beyond Bangladesh the next minute through a Gurjeet Singh strike.

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