Eleven Warrior, PakuBatu Lintang reveal title ambitions
KUCHI NG : De f e n d i n g champions UNIXX hopes for the TNB Sarawak Hockey League playoffs were dashed Sunday at the Sarawak Hockey Stadium.
Needing at least a draw against Eleven Warrior, they failed to rise to the occasion and lose the Group A match 3-1.
The Armed Forces side showed they were up for the battle when they opened accounts in the first minute with Ahmad Rafifi’s field goal.
M Asri then converted a penalty corner in the 23rd minute before Fahmi Razali’s field goal 10 minutes later gave his side a stranglehold on the match.
UNIXX only managed to avoid a whitewash when Michael X. Patrick scored in the 59th minute.
But it was the team’s inability to convert penalty corners that proved to be their undoing.
Eleven Warrior, however, has been on a roll, having finished thi rd i n t he Sabah Open recently.
Last weekend also saw four Group B matches.
Borneo Young Blood ( BYB) and Kuching Hockey Association ( KHA) played to a 1- 1 draw in an encounter with playoff ramifications.
M Mustaqim Sebi got KHA ahead in the 22nd minute but BYB’s Sideq equalised in 10 minutes before a stalemate ensued.
KHA are keeping up the pressure for the playoffs when they hammered Warrior 12- 0 on Sunday.
Skipper Dzulkhami M Tajudin had four markers with Mustaqim having a hattrick.
Sarawak Energy beat Warrior 6- 0 with Maxzecoue Jari notching a hattrick and Juan Malkovic having a brace.
They then came from behind to edge MTOB 2-1, equalising in the 47th minute and scoring the winner two minutes later.
Meanwhi l e , Paku- Batu Lintang ( PBL) looks a solid bet to lift the women’s title.
In a key match against All Division on Saturday, coach Catherine Lambor’s side narrowly won 1- 0.
Captain Elizabeth Martin was the match winner when she converted a penalty corner in the 38th minute.
The highly rated SMK Paku student recently featured in the national youth team.
All Division vented their frustrations on an inexperienced SMK Tebakang the following day with a 27- 0 blowout.