In a nerve-wracking match in which both teams played to potential, IA stroked ahead in the first half, and scored the match-winner through Samir Dad after Avinash Sarena had put UP on par nine minutes into the second half.Aware of the IA strength, the UP defence stood rock-like but one unwarranted attempt by Jasbir ten minutes into the game set them back, a deficit which ultimately took the game from them.

IA shot into the lead through Mohd Riaz who converted a stroke, awarded by the umpire when Jasbir, following the first penalty corner, raised the stick above his shoulders to stop the ball.

The equaliser came in the 44th minute when UP converted a penalty indirectly Sarena finding the angle though the essay was feeble. With the teams giving no elbow room, oneexpected the match to go into extra time. But IA struck through a long corner. Dad positioned well inside the circle struck home with relish.

CRPF stun services

Hyderabad, March 19: Displaying better cohesion and more variety in their attacks, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) stunned Federation Cup champions Services in a crucial pool H match of the PSB-SBI 59th Senior National Hockey Championship at the Begumpet Police Stadium on Friday.The 2-0 win, CRPF's second in as many matches, bolstered their hopes of making the quarter-finals.

Internationals Tanveer Jamal and Mukesh Kumar were a busy duo for CRPF and they capped their hard work with a goal apiece. In the 31st minute Mukesh, after Tanveer's well-disguised dummy, slotted home the seventh penalty corner to help his side cross over with a 1-0 lead. Moments before the hooter, Tanveer latched on to a rebound and slammed the board.

Results (Pool G): Karnataka 7 (Kavin 2, Prakash Chalke, Anandavelu, Samson Fernandez, Arjun Halappa, BimalLakra) bt Madhya Bharat 1 (Hasrat Quereshi); (Pool H): CRPF 2 (Mukesh Kumar, Tanveer Jamal) bt Services 0; Bengal 11 (Devender Singh 3, Suman Toppo 2, Mangra Munda, Iqbal Singh, Cyprian Barla, Kishore Kujur, Somorjit Singh, Rajat Minz) bt Kerala 0; (Pool I): Air-India 5 (Davinder Kumar 2, Gagan Ajit Singh 2, Edward Aranha) bt Universities 0.

--S Mageshwaran