Friday, February 28, 2014

Thunderbolts whitewash Pahang 8-0

DIVISION One champions SSTMI Thunderbolts whitewashed MSP Pahang 8-0 in the first leg Milo Cup quarter-finals to virtually book their spot in the semi-finals.
    And Old La Sallians Association of Klang (Olak-PKT) also opened the door to their semi-finals dream when they beat Malacca High School 4-1.
   Petaling Jaya Municipal  Council also had an easy outing as they beat Bukit Jalil Sports School 4-1, however,  UniKL Young Guns faced a torrid time before edging Politeknik-KPM 3-2.
   The UniKL-Politeknik second leg is the only one which will go to the wire, while the other three teams have virtually assured their semis spot, with their Sunday return legs being purely academic.
    It was an outstanding performance from Olak-PKT as they ran rings round the static MHS defense, and they thoroughly deserve the big-margin victory.
   “It is a healthy first leg lead but we cannot take things for granted. I am happy that the players lifted their game and played as they did,” said Olak-PKT manager Joseph de Silva.
    “We have to play intelligently in the return leg as a quick goal by MHS will change the entire equation of the match. Thus we need to plan things carefully.”
     MHS that took the lead in the 20th minute through Faid Farhadh Shah but Olak were back on level terms two minutes later when Mawardi Hamirin got his shot right.
    Olak then took the lead in the 28th minute as Najmi Ghazali scored off a goalmouth melee, and added another two goals through Mawardi (43rd) and Asyaraf Adha (54th) for a healthy 4-1 aggregate lead.
     Thunderbolts got the big win they were looking for through the efforts of Aminuddin Zain (7th, 39th and 42nd), Amirol Aideed  (50th, 67th and 70th), Najmi Farizal Jazlan (35th) and Firdaus Omar (48th).
   “The mission we set out to achieve is completed and I will rest some players for the second leg as next week we have to play three matches in five days,” said Thunderbolts coach Wan Roslan Wan Rahman.
    RESULTS -- MILO Cup Quarter-finals first leg: SSTMI  Thunderbolts 8 MSP Pahang 0; Malacca High  School 1 Olak-PKT 4; Petaling Jaya Municipal  Council 4 Bukit Jalil Sports School 1; UniKL Young Guns 3 Politeknik-KPM 2.
   SUNDAY: Quarter-finals return leg: Bukit Jalil Sports School  v Petaling Jaya Municipal Council (4pm, Pitch II); Politeknik- KPM v UniKL Young Guns (4pm, Pitch I); MSP Pahang v SSTMI  Thunderbolts (6pm, Pitch II); Olak-PKT v Malacca High  School (6pm, Pitch I).
   (Note: All matches at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit  Jalil).

Olak's Joe complaints about unethical move..

ENTRIES for the men's Malaysia Hockey League Division One closed with 10 teams competing, but there was a damning complaint about players being pinched by National Juniors coach Arul Selvaraj for his club UniKL.
   Old La Sallians Association of Klang (OLAK-PKT) team manager Joseph de Silva was fuming mad after a telephone conversation with Arul on Thursday, asking him to release three of his best players for UniKL.
   "This is a conflict of interest as Arul is the national juniors coach as well as head coach for UniKL. How can he wear two hats and also scout for the best players in the Junior Hockey League for his club side," questioned de Silva.
   De Silva, a veteran Junior Hockey League team manager sice 1995, said he turned down Arul's offer as it was not proper.
   "I strongly objected to Arul, and told him it's unethical for him as a national juniors coach to scout for players for his club side. I told him my players will not play for UniKL as I will have problems later getting them back for Olak next season.
   "I told him I would rather release my boys to play for UiTM, and told him to look elswhere," said De Silva.
    Arul, when he was assisted to Paul Revington at the senior level, was also coaching UniKL.
   However, Arul had a different version of the story: "De Silva called me asking if I'm going to select any of his Olak players for the national juniors training and I told him I have a few in mind. And then de Silva asked me if I have any clubs to recommend his players for the MHL Division One and I told him his players can try for UniKL.
   "And then de Silva told me that he does not want his players to play for UniKL, but will release them to UiTM instead," said Arul.
   Arul also said that even though he wears two hats, there is never a conflict of interest when he picks the best for his juniors side.
   "I'm a professional, so even though I coach a club side, I will only pick the best when it comes for national duty and there is no conflict of interest between selection for my club or my country," said Arul.
   Meanwhile, the women's MHL Division One will make its debut with nine teams.
   Both the men's and women's MHL Division One matches start on March 16 with the final slated for May 18.
   MALAYSIA Hockey League -- MEN: Division One: UiTM Lions, Bukit Jalil Sports School, Armed Forces, Sekolah Sukan Tengku Mahkota Ismail, UniKL, Nur Insafi, Terengganu, Sapura Hockey Club, Tenaga Nasional, Sukma Selangor.
   WOMEN -- Division One: Terengganu, UiTM Lions, SSN Selangor, MSN Kedah, Armed Forces, Sukma KL, SSTMI Thunderbolts, Johor Baru Municipal Council, Police.