Saturday Dec 14, 2024
Saturday Dec 14, 2024
Monday, 5 October 2020 00:10 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
A Division Winner HNB
A Division Runners-Up Sampath Bank
B Division Winner HSBC
HNB A beat Sampath Bank to emerge as winners in the Mercantile Hockey knockout tournament which concluded on Saturday at the Astroturf.
HNB and Sampath Bank studded with ex Sri Lanka players displayed a fantastic game of Hockey, witnessed by a large number of spectators which included VIP’s from the two banks and the Mercantile Hockey Association.
Sampath Bank opened scoring in the 12th minute of the game through a penalty stoke for an infringement made by HNB full back. Ex-Sri Lanka Under-21 Player Buwenaka Parahitiyawa converted successfully. At half time Sampath Bank lead 1-0.
In the second half both teams played aggressively creating frequent changes to the score. The pendulum swung both ways.
In the 41st minute HNB forward ex Sri Lanka player Damith Bandara equalised through a penalty stroke followed by a field goal by ex Sri Lanka Player Upul Dhanushka.
Sampath bank bounced back to in the 44th minute to equalise through a field goal scored by Chinthaka Dilshan.
Damith Bandara pierced the strong Sampath Bank Defense displaying some excellent stick work to score on the 49th minute, to give a lead to HNB. However two quick goals scored by Sampath Bank Forward ex Sri Lanka Player Diluka Weerasuriya changed the result in favour of Sampath Bank.
Sampath Bank leading 4 -3, in the dying stages of the last 30 seconds, R. Wickremasinghe sounded the board to give HNB relief. At full time scores were 4 all draw. In a dramatic turnaround of penalty strokes HNB beat Sampath Bank 7 -6. Umpire N. Paranitharan and Abeetha Fernando controlled the game.
In the B Division Final HSBC stunned Hayleys Group by 3-2 and emerged champions. For HSBC Imesh Wimalasiri, Mark Fernando, and Razvi Sadeff scored a goal each while for Hayleys Group Bodika Dias sounded the board twice.
Commercial Bank “A” beat Allianz Insurance 6-1 to secure the third place in the A division. In the B division third place playoff Seylan Bank beat Commercial Bank 3-2.
