PUNE June 1: Old Boys Association (OBA) may have not won a title this year, but have maintained consistency by reaching two tournament finals. At the Ammunition Factory Kirkee (AFK) ground today, OBA displayed their fighting capabilities to stage a comeback win over Super XI after being in two goals in arrears and enter the semi-finals of the III KCA President's Trophy hockey tournament. In the semis they take on in-form Railway Police -- the MHA Senior League and Erin Nagarwala winners, who defused Ammunition Factory Kirkee 3-0.
The OBA-Super encounter was more lively encounter of the two scheduled encounter of the day. OBA without key players in Aziz Irani, Bhupinder Singh and Devdas Shetty found themselves twice in arrears after twenty minutes of play. Vinod Kore did honours first putting home Super's fourth penalty corner and later Subash Mane combined well with Santosh Musale to make it 2-0.
Changing ends OBA got their act together and found their hero in Umesh Pulgam who scored a hat-trick to ensure their place in the last-4. The first in the 34th minute was off the only penalty corner they earned. In the last ten minutes Umesh scored twice to put the issue beyond doubt, with Shrihari Bhosale being the architects of the goals. Earlier, Railway Police struck through Dutta Bhokare (24th), Rafiq Sheikh (28th) and Anand Salvi (59th) to knock out AFK.
Today's Fixtures: (S/F): Railway Police v OBA 3.30 p.m; (Q/F): Pune City Police v Priyadarshini S.C `B' -- 4.45 p.m.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
