Punjab and Sind Bank stage fine rally

Punjab and Sind Bank overcame a resolute Indian Oil 2-1 in a Super League match of the 40th ONGC-Nehru hockey tournament in Delhi on Tuesday.

Indian Oil paid the price for frittering away a 1-0 lead. Punjab and Sind Bank bounced back in style, first equalizing in the 55th minute and then scoring the winner two minutes from the end at the Shivaji stadium.

In the other matches of the day, Air India came from behind to be Indian Navy 2-1 while Tamil Nadu XI rode on a brace by Armugam to drub Namdhari XI 3-0.

Dulla Singh (32nd minute) and Devinder Kumar (44th) scored for Air India after M M Lokhande had put Navy ahead in the 19th minute.

The second match saw Armugam sounding the board in the 17th and 60th minutes while Alfred Asir scored in the 54th minute as Tamil Nadu won easily.

The game between two good sides in the national circuit -- Punjab and Sind Bank and Indian Oil -- provided some excitement to a small crowd with both teams coming up with a fine performance.

Bikramjeet Singh converted a penalty-corner in the third minute of the match to give Indian Oil the lead. Though Punjab and Sind Bank tried hard for the equalizer they failed to get it in the first half.

However, they finally managed to get one past Indian Oil defence when Sandeep Singh scored in the 55th minute.

Jatinder Singh's winner, with only two minutes to go, sealed Indian Oil's fate.