HIL: Kalinga Lancers beat Ranchi Rays

Bhubaneswar, Jan 23 (IANS) Australian striker Glenn Turner scored twice giving Kalinga Lancers a 4-2 win against Ranchi Rays in the Coal India Hockey India League at Kalinga stadium here on Monday.

Turner scored two field goals in the 43rd and 50th minute as Lancers posted their second successive victory in the tournament. Sarvanjit scored one field goal for Ranchi Rays.

Buoyed by the victory against Delhi Waveriders on Sunday, host Kalinga Lancers began the match with high note putting pressure from the beginning on the visiting Ranchi Rays.

Both the teams looked promising from the beginning to edge out each other.

Ranchi Rays got two penalty corners successively with seven minutes into the game of the first quarter. However, they failed to capitalise as the goalkeeper of the Lancers thwarted their move.

Later, Ranchi Rays and Lancers mounted attack on each other to open their score. The strikers of both the teams created chances at both ends but the deadlock remained intact. But, the first quarter of the match remained goalless.

With the beginning of the second quarter, the host team created a chance to score.

Lancers had a great chance to open their account when Billy Bakker tried to hit the ball into the net. But he failed to hit the target and it went wide.

Later, Ranchi earned two penalty corners in quick successions. But they failed to convert them into goal. Lancers' Abhinav Pandey stood tall to palm away Barry Middleton's attempt at goal.

Lancers also garnered two penalty corners putting pressure on the visiting team.

But, they also failed to capitalise as the goalkeeper denied their attempt to push the ball into the net. Mounting pressure on the Rays, Lancers earned three penalty corners successively towards the end of the second quarter.

But, their failed to make them count as the second quarter also remained goalless.

In the third quarter, the strikers of both the teams created couple of chances to score.

But, it was the last laugh for Lancers when Glenn Turner hit the ball that sneaked past the goalkeeper giving a 2-0 lead to the host team against Ranchi Rays at 43 minutes into the game.

Not bullied by the advantage of Lancers, Ranchi Rays bounced back into the game and earned a penalty corner in the very first minute of the fourth quarter. However, they could not capitalise the opportunity.

But the host team was not satisfied with the 2-0 lead as Glenn Turner scored another goal giving Kalinga Lancers 4-0 lead in the match.

The joy of Lancers did not last long. Ranchi Rays's Sarvanjit was in the right place to tap home Timothy Deavin's pass and giving the team a goal at the 53rd minute.

Both the teams tried hard to score towards the dying minutes.