HIL: Bengal Tigers sink UP Rudras

A brace by Jugraj Singh helped Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers score a clinical 5-3 win over UP Rudras in the Hockey India League in Rourkela on Wednesday.

Gauthier Boccard (8’), Jugraj Singh (10’and 33’), Sukhjeet Singh (14’) and Abhishek (46’) scored for the Bengal Tigers.

Hardik Singh (47’) and Sam Ward (51’and 59’) scored in the fourth quarter as the Rudras went down fighting.

The Rudras’ lack of finishing came back to haunt them as the Bengal Tigers took the lead in the eighth minute. Gauthier Boccard went on a superb solo run as he moved past multiple defenders before placing the ball into the bottom corner beyond the reach of goalkeeper James Mazarelo.

The Tigers pressed their advantage and won the first penalty corner of the match in the 10th minute.

The Rudras had never conceded a goal from a penalty corner this tournament having successfully defended all 20 penalty corners they had faced so far.

Jugraj broke the duck with a drag flick which took a deflection off the first rusher, taking it away from Mazarelo.

The Tigers scored their third goal in the 14th minute. Sebastien Dockier got the ball in the circle before shooting at goal from a promising angle.

Mazarelo saved Dockier’s attempt but the rebound fell to Sukhjeet who poked it in for the 100th goal of this HIL season.

The Tigers went into half-time 3-0 ahead.

The Tigers finally got their fourth goal three minutes into the third quarter.

Sam Lane won a penalty corner which Jugraj Singh duly converted to nab his fifth goal of the season, the joint-most alongside Tomas Domene and Jip Jannsen.

The Tigers began the final quarter with a typical counter attacking goal.

They defended a penalty corner before launching the counter. Sukhjeet Singh played it to fellow Indian forward Abhishek who dummied his shot to fool the defender before firing a shot past Prashant Kumar Chauhan.

The Rudras won a penalty stroke in the 47th minute as Sam Ward was bundled over in front of goal by Tim Cross. Captain Hardik Singh stepped up and lofted the ball into the top corner to pull a goal back for his side.

The Rudras set up a nervy final 10 minutes for the Tigers as they pulled another goal back thanks to a Sam Ward penalty corner goal in the 51st minute. Ward scored his second goal and the Rudras’ third in the 59th minute from another penalty corner.

Despite their valiant efforts, the UP Rudras could not complete the turnaround.