30th State Level Polo Tournament : Defending champs Khurai PC down MPSC-B to lift trophy on the trot
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 01 2014 :
Defending champions, Khurai Polo Club lived up to their billings to down Manipur Police Sports Club-B by a margin of 5 goals to 3 in the final of the 3 0 th State Level Polo Tournament played at Mapal Kangjeibung today.
The tournament was organised by the All Manipur Polo Association.
With both teams coming to the final with some fine matches in the earlier rounds, they took the field in a positive frame of mind to play a free and flowing game.
True to its billing and as the defending champion, Khurai Polo Club started dictating the pace of the game from the first chukker itself.
Dominating the mid-field and striking a great combination between the mounts and the players, Khurai PC players were all over the field launching a series of attacks from the midfield as well as from the flanks.
The defence line of the MPSC-B was stretched to the limit to keep the marauding forwards of Khurai PC at bay, but the Khurai team managed to breach the defence on more than one occasion.
P Ojit did the star turn for the Khurai team when he sounded the board twice in the first chukker in quick succession with the police team unable to score any goal in the first chukker.
It was Khurai PC all the way in the first chukker.
The second chukker too went in favour of Khurai PC as L Thomson managed to break free and sounded the board twice.
MPSC-B however did not give in meekly in the second chukker and they pulled one back through S Bimol, who managed to break free from his markers and scored a goal.
Down by a margin of 1 goals to four, MPSC-B put more purpose in their game in the third chukker to take the fight to the camp of Khurai PC.
Launching a series of attacks, but never leaving gaps in the defence line, the police team put up a much polished performance in the third chukker.
A fine move down the flank saw S Bimol in a good position to take a well directed shot at the goal of Khurai and found the target to reduce the margin to 2-4 goals.
Buoyed by the goal, MPSC -B put more in the attack and after a series of good moves from the midfield managed to breach the defence line of Khurai PC where a well placed S Bimol sounded the board to bring his team back into the match with the score line reading 3-4 after the third chukker.
In the 4th chukker, the police team lost steam and it was P Ojit again who rose to the occasion to sound the board and ensured that his team won the final by a margin of 5 goals to 3 goals.
Apart from the championship trophy, Khurai PC walked away with Rs 50,000 in cash prize, while the police team had to settle for Rs 30,000 .
The best disciplined team title went to Chingkheihunba carrying a cash component of Rs 5000 while the best player award went to K Jugindro of Khurai PC carrying a cash prize of Rs 2000 plus a trophy.
A special prize of Rs 5000 was given to 56 years old M Manihar of Thoubal District Polo Club.
, Each participating team were given a cash prize of Rs 2000 to promote the sport of Polo in the State, which gave the sport to the world.
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