Vinod Nimbore’s brace at a crucial point in the match helped his team Central Railway (Pune Division) beat Vikram Pillay Academy 2-0 in the final of the Gilbert Pinto Invitational Hockey Tournament held at the Ammunition Factory hockey ground, Khadki on Friday.

The match got off to a slow start as both the teams were feeling each other out.

From the 20th minute onwards, Vikram Pillay Academy strung a few good passes together and started playing with confidence. The Pillay brothers, Vikas and Vinod, displayed some skillful stickwork and helped their team launch some attacks on opposition goal. However, goalie, Avadooth Solankar, remained a tough nut to crack as he stopped all shots that came his way. Railway attacks were few and far between in the first half which ended goalless.

The second half saw Central Railways play some better hockey. They played well as a unit and started attacking the opposition goal with purpose. They were rewarded for their pressure in the 51 st minute when they took the lead through Nimbore.A defence lapse by Vikram Pillay Academy defender Prakash Pillay led to a loose ball in the box which was poked into the goal by Nimbore. Nimbore scored his second two minutes later at the end of a well-worked penalty corner.