Dynamos grounded Hi-Fliers in first final

Local favourites Chandigarh Dynamos saved their best for the last, as they got past spirited Bangalore Hi-Fliers 3-2 in the first of the best-of-three finals in the 4th Premier Hockey League (PHL) played at the Sector 42 Hockey Stadium here on Monday.

Dynamos stunned Hi-Fliers with a second minute goal and doubled their lead by the sixth minute to start on a promising note. Bangalore outfit got their act together to pull one back in the 13th minute to keep themselves in the race.

After reducing the margin Bangalore team pushed hard to level the scores and had an upper hand in the third and fourth quarters after making countless raids in the rival citadel but Dynamos defenders Sandeep Singh and Zeeshan Ashraf held their fort and excelled in the defence defying their numerous forays.

Bangalore made it 2-3 at the fag end but by that time it was too late to stage any comeback into the match. Dynamos strikers brought out their best to contrivance against Hi-Fliers after they missed the services of Prabhjot Singh with a finger injury.

Dynamos shot ahead in the second minute thorough Sher Singh deflection, after he found Sandeep Singh 25-yard free hit near the spot to guide it into the goal. Chandigarh Dynamos made it 2-0 with in five minutes following an attack on the right flank and skipper Rajpal Singh, who got the ball in the corner, dodged past a defender and side-stepped Bimal Lakra to enter into the circle. Rajpal Singh opened up himself, turned around and sent a stinging reverse hit into the net beating Hi-Fliers goalie Bharat Kumar Chetri.

Hi-Fliers kept them in the hunt by pulling one back in the 13th minute on a fast counter move. Vinay gave a short pass to Arjun Halappa in the middle and Arjun dribbled ahead to put Tushar Khandekar in possession near the circle. Tushar cut back into the circle, with watching onrushing rival custodian Baljit Singh, he sent a clever pass to Sandeep Michael near the far post. Sandeep finished the formalities to make it 2-1.

Dynamos increased the lead once again in the 37th minute. Skipper Rajpal Singh sent a defence splitting pass to an unmarked Deepak Thakur. With the defence completely out of position and with only goalkeeper to beat Deepak took a shot at the goal and took Hi-Fliers' goalkeeper by surprise to make it 3-1 for Chandigarh Dynamos.

From thereon, Bangalore had more possession and better exchanges but found Dynamos defence hard to beat. Hi- Fliers had four successive short corners but could not avail any of them.

In all they had six penalty corners but their PC expert Len failed to find the target. Twice he blocked by Dynamos custodian Baljit Singh and once his attempt foiled by Dynamos rusher Sandeep Singh who took the flick on his body. They tried couple of other variations too but they did not work out in their favour.

Hi-Fliers reduced the margin just a minute before the final hooter but that was too late to go for the equaliser. Hari Prasad just slammed the ball home after he got as pass by Bimal Lakra from the left.

Dynamos skipper Rajpal Singh was declared man of the match as he played his heart out for his team. The second final will be played on January 9.