4-star Jimmy sinks Wari
Sports Reporter
Russell Mahmud Jimmy fired four goals including a hattrick as defending champions Abahani brushed aside Wari Club 7-0 for their second successive victory in the Green Delta Premier Hockey League yesterday.Wari came to the game after a fighting 2-3 loss against title-contenders Mohammedan in the first round but they failed to repeat Saturday's heroics against the Sky Blues at the Maulana Bhashani National Stadium. However, they handcuffed Abahani for the first 23 minutes before Jimmy put Abahani ahead when the striker connected a cross by Shamim Reza. Rafiqunnabi Nakib doubled the lead on the stroke of the breather when the defender scored off a rebound after Musa Mia's hit came back during a penalty-corner. Abahani, who won as many as ten penalty-corners but utilised only two of them in a game they absolutely dominated, made it 3-0 through Shahidullah Titu who converted a 44th minute penalty-corner. Then it was the turn of Jimmy to go into overdrive when he scored his second goal of the match three minutes later and notched up the treble inside 17 minutes. The Bangladesh youth international fed from a right-flank cross by Titu then dribbled past four Wari players showing flawless stickwork before sounding the board. Jimmy scored again after exchanging passes with Bachchu and finally, Musa and Shamim set up him for the hattrick goal. Experienced Musa got a deserved goal just two minutes from time when the playmaker utilised a pass from Bachchu to seal an emphatic victory. Abahani, who beat Azad Sporting Club 3-1 in the league opener, now have six points. They also fielded their first foreign recruit in the league Christopher Edward of India. MARINER-AJAX
In the day's other match, Mariner Youngs Club blanked Ajax Sporting Club 2-0 to record their first win in two matches. Club Cup runners-up Mariner, who dropped points against Sonali Bank in a goalless draw in the previous round, led the first half 1-0 through a brilliant move. Taking a pass from Pakistani Yamin Bhatti, Rafiqul Islam Kamal dashed into the rival D-box before cutting the ball back to an unguarded Prashanta who broke the 32-minute deadlock with a fine reverse hit. Issa Mia secured three points five minutes into the second half when the national defender converted a penalty-corner.
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