05 Jul KLHC SINK THT WITH SIX GOALS IN CHARITY SHIELD!

Former champions Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) fired on all cylinders to pulverise double champions Terengganu Hockey Team (THT) 6-2 in the Charity Shield match of the TNBMHL 2015 at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil today.

It was by far a disappointing performance from Sarjit Singh’s THT after all the hype in the build-up to this opening match of the 2015 Premier League witnessed by an estimated 400 fans.

After a soft opening ceremony which was graced by Malaysian Hockey Confederation president, Dato’ Seri Subahan Kamal, it was THT who found the net first through Argentinean Jose Leandro Toliniin the 14th minute off a penalty corner, giving hope of the Terengganu outfit back on track for another enthralling season.

However, THT who won the league and overall titles last year for the first time in their third season of the TNBMHL, were back paddling in the second quarter of the match as KLHC, champions from 2010 to 2013 and coached by K. Dharmaraj, struck back with three goals within a space of three minutes from penalty corners.

Malaysia’s drag-flick specialist Muhammad Razie Abdul Rahim took all three penalty corners but it was Pakistani Ali Shan who struck from a rebound (19th)to level 1-1 and Nabil Fiqriadded the second (20th) before Razie himself increased the scoreline to 3-1 with a powerful flick past goalkeeper Mohamad Hazrul Faiza minute later.

Muhammad Rashid Baharom than increased it to 5-1 with field goals in the 33rd and 49th minutes much to the delight of KLHC bench and fans while Ismail Abu pulled one back for THT in the 52nd minute to make it 5-2 from a field goal.

But the day certainly belonged to KLHC, who signed the services of six Pakistani players in their 2015 foray – Waseem Ahmad, Fareed Ahmad, Muhammad Umar Bhutta, Ali Shan, Muhammad Usman and Ahmad Ajaz when Harvinder Singh struck the final blow on THT two minutes before the end with a field goal.

“We never expected to win by this big margin and it is wrong to assume that we had a great day on the field,” said Dharmaraj at a post-match press conference. “I think we got lucky after scoring three quick goals from penalties. It made all the difference against a very good side like THT.”

“But I must agree we had a good day today with our foreign players blending well in this first game but it does not mean anything. We still have a long shot at the title,” added Dharmaraj whose charges meet Sapura next Friday at the same venue.

Meanwhile, THT coach Sarjit laments his team’s failure to the quick breakthroughs KLHC made which dampened their chances of making a progressive fight back.

“After the three goals from penalties, KLHC scored within three minutes kept us on the back foot. Each time we controlled the game in search of goals it was KLHC who went up instead. But this is our first game and we will bounce back,” said Sarjit.

Tenaga Nasional Berhad and Sapura also made winning starts today. TNB defeated Maybank 2-1 while Sapura edged UniKL Young Guns 2-1, courtesy of goals from Abdul Haseem Khan’s penalty corner(20th) and Faridzul Afiq(42nd) field goal.

UniKL replied through Muhamad Najmi Farizal in the 58th minute off a field goal.

TNB goals came from Nik Mohamed Aiman(6th) and Mohd Shahril Saabah(9th) respectively while Mohamed Irfan pulled one back for Maybank to minutes later from a penalty corner.

TNB face UniKL Young Guns next on August 7 while Maybank plays Terengganu Hockey Team at the National Hockey Stadium.

Results – Premier Division: Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club 6 Terengganu Hockey Team 2; TenagaNasionalBerhad2Maybank 1; Sapura 2UniKL Young Guns 1.
Division 1A:MSNT/THT 3 MSP-YP-SSP 2; MajlisBandaraya Ipoh 4 MASUM-USM 1; TNB Thunderbolt 4 BJSS 3;TNB Thunderbolt 3 MBI 0; BJSS 3 MSNT/THT 1; MSP-YP-SSP 3 MASUM-USM 2.
Division 1B:UITM 3 NurInsafi 0; SSTMI 1 Politeknik Malaysia 0; ATM Airod 5 SSTMI 0; Politeknik Malaysia 2 ATM Airod 1; NurInsafi 4 UniKL Young Guns 3.
Women Group A:ATM Pernama 4 MSNT/PHT 1;Penang Juniors 4 The Cops 1; ATM Pernama 9 Penang Juniors 0; Group B: MSN Kedah 2 Manjung HA1.