Ashwin’s second-half brace secured Integral Coach Factory’s quarterfinal berth while Philip Martin scored twice to help Indian Bank enter the last eight in the 1st Syed Ahmed Memorial All India Invitation Hockey Tournament at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium on Tuesday.
The Tamil Nadu Police-ICF contest meandered on the lines of a stalemate before Ashwin injected life into it with a 41st minute strike. However, TNP still nursed hopes of a comeback till the penultimate minute of the match when Ashwin scored his second to send ICF through. Duly, he was adjudged man of the match.
Later, Indian Bank overturned a one-goal arrear and endured a late blitz to edge Dominic Memorial Hockey Club 5-3. Stunningly, the underdogs, Dominic Memorial, seized lead in the eighth minute through Koushikan. James Heartlin, though, stroked the equalizer eight minutes later before Deepak enhanced the lead in the 31st minute, when he converted a short corner.
The domestic powerhouse tightened their noose over their opponents in the 37th minute, as Philip Martin tucked the first of his two goals. The contest seemed all but dead when Mariya Stalin and Martin bolstered their tally with goals in the 40th and 57th minute respectively.
However, Dominic staged a late comeback, reducing the deficit to two goals with Koushikan converting a penalty corner in the 65th minute and Albert scoring in the 67th. But that was all they could offer as Indian Bank held though. Koushikan received the man of the match award from former footballer and Tamil Nadu coach Syed Sabir Pasha.
Results (pre-quarterfinals): Indian Bank 5 (James Heartlin 16, Deepak 31, Philip Martin 37, 57, Mariya Stalin 40) bt Dominic Memorial Hockey Club 3 (Koushikan 8,65 Albert 67); ICF 2 (Ashwin 41, 69) bt Tamil Nadu Police 0.