Punjab Police win Itigi hockey

Punjab Police retained the U & I Champions Trophy when they crushed Indian Oil Corporation 6-0 in the final of the second All India Raghavendra Itigi memorial hockey championship in Bangalore on Tuesday.

The policemen scored thrice in each half, thereby avenging a 0-3 loss to IOC in the league phase two days ago.

Baljit Singh Dillon scored twice following penalty-corners, while Tejbir Singh, captain Daljit Singh, Sarabjit Singh and Gurjant Singh contributed a goal each.

The final turned out to be a drab affair as the defending champions seized the initiative from the start and scored at will.

Penalty-corner specialist Baljit Dillon put Punjab Police into the lead, converting the first penalty-corner in the 14th minute.

He made it 2-0 following another penalty-corner in the 26th minute before Tejbir Singh increased the tally, firing in the third goal off a pass from Sarabjit Singh two minutes before half-time.

Daljit Singh, the livewire of the police team, scored the fourth goal in the 42nd minute, intercepting a flick by Gabbar Singh and shooting home.

The 4-0 lead took the fight out of IOC and their woes were further compounded when Sarabjit Singh (58th) and Gurjant Singh (67th) added two more goals to the police kitty, to ensure that the trophy remained with them.

IOC, who initially tried to attack, could not maintain the tempo. They had a scoring chance in the seventh minute, but skipper Deepak Thakur failed to connect a cross from Rajpal Singh.

Thakur's powerful shot in the 10th minute was saved by Police custodian Manpreet Singh.

Though IOC managed to force five penalty-corners, they failed to convert any.