Saturday, February 1, 2014

Ranchi Rhinos snap Uttar Pradesh Wizards' winning streak

Ranchi Rhinos snapped Uttar Pradesh Wizards' winning streak pulling off an impressive 2-1 win in the 2nd Hero Hockey India League at the Dhyan Chand Sports College in Lucknow.

The win helps Rhinos to move into the third spot in the points table with 11 points from three games behind Delhi Waveriders and Jaypee Punjab Warriors, both of whom have 16 and 12 points from their 4 games respectively. Uttar Pradesh Wizards also have 11 points from three games.

Ranchi Rhinos held sway over the proceedings even Uttar Pradesh Wizards playing in front of their home crowd were not allowed to settle down. The persistence of Gregg Clark’s boys paid off when English playmaker Ashley Jackson unleashed a fierce drag-flick of their first penalty corner at the stroke of the first quarter hooter.

Uttar Pradesh Wizards struggled to play as a unit and their moves upfront lacked venom as they seemed to run out of ideas inside the Rhinos’ ‘D’. The Rhinos, strengthened by the return of regular captain German Moritz Fuertse, began to assert themselves on their opponents and soon doubled the lead – again it was orchestrated by Ashley Jackson who slapped it forward from outside the striking circle to countryman Barry Middleton, who clinically deflected home from close range.

The Rhinos could have sealed the match at the stroke of the second quarter off their second PC, but they muffed up that opportunity in the face of some solid goalkeeping by Australian George Bazeley. In fact, Bazeley was outstanding in the third quarter – he denied Rhinos any scoring opportunities of as many as three short corners to keep his side in the contest.

The decibel levels of the home crowd went up a bit when the Wizards forced their first short corner when a Pradeep Mor cross was ‘carried’ by Birendra Lakra. Captain Vokkaliga Raghunath however slammed it wide, but that disappointment soon evaporated as Australian Eddie Ockenden reduced the margin for the Wizards, tapping home a Ramandeep Singh pass.

The Wizards had the final quarter to mount a comeback, but the Rhinos foiled all their efforts to garner the much-needed full points. 

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