No Runaway Victories This Week in Hong Kong Premier Hockey

No Runaway Victories This Week in Hong Kong Premier Hockey
Koen Phijffer scores for HKFC to draw level with Pak-A at 1-1 in their HKHA Premier Division match at Hong Kong Football Club on Sunday Oct 2, 2016. (Bill Cox/Epoch Times}
10/4/2016
Updated:
10/4/2016

HONG KONG—Top of the HKHA Premier standings remained the same as the top 4 teams won their matches last Sunday Oct 2, leaving SSSC-A and HKFC-A on 12 points, Khalsa-A and KNS-A following on 9 points. However, with only one match to be played this coming Sunday (the delayed match between Pak-A and Khalsa-A), a Khalsa win would take them to the top of the table on goal difference.

In the early match of the afternoon at Sports road, HKFC-B, completed up a well-earned 2-1 win against Shaheen-A to move them into a clear 5th place in the table on 6 points.

In the later match at the same venue, HKFC-A had a hard battle against an experienced Pak-A side but eventually came away with a 4-2 win. Club playing their strategic passing game pressured the Pak-A defence throughout the match but found it hard to capitalise on their possession advantage. Pak-A with experienced defenders were able to successfully cut off Club attacks and looked dangerous breaking for the HKFC-A goal with forward pushes by Waqas Mohammad, feeding front man Khurram Shahzad. Pak-A were the first to score with a well-struck reverse stick shot from the right hand side of the circle by Shahzad with 12 minutes left of the 1st half.

Khurram Shazad of Pakistan Association (Pak-A) prepares to fire in Pak-A's 2nd goal to equal the score with HKFC-A in their Premier Division match at Sports Road on Sunday Oct 2, 2016. (Bill Cox/Epoch Times
Khurram Shazad of Pakistan Association (Pak-A) prepares to fire in Pak-A's 2nd goal to equal the score with HKFC-A in their Premier Division match at Sports Road on Sunday Oct 2, 2016. (Bill Cox/Epoch Times

HKFC-A responded with 2 goals in quick succession to take a 2-1 lead.  The first strike was by Koen Phijffer from a rebound off the Pak-A goalie following an initial attack by Thomas Moore, and the 2nd, a goal by Howard Haskin in another close-to-the-goal confrontation, with 6 minutes remaining of the half. But Pak-A hit back gaining a penalty corner with just seconds left of the clock, from which they made a positive strike to finish 2-2 at half time.

HKFC-A's 2nd goal scored by Howard Hoskins in their match against Pak-A at HKFC on Sunday Oct 2, 2016. (Bill Cox/Epoch Times}
HKFC-A's 2nd goal scored by Howard Hoskins in their match against Pak-A at HKFC on Sunday Oct 2, 2016. (Bill Cox/Epoch Times}

Pak-A had two further penalty corner chances early in the 2nd half but could not make them count. The deadlock was broken by an attack by Club 12 minutes into the half from a solid hit from the edge of the circle by Kieran Smith. Amidst top quality play by both sides HKFC-A gained breathing space by converting a 4th goal with 16 minutes left on the clock. But the battle continued, with tackles becoming stronger and several players sin-binned, attacks by Club were countered by good performances by the Pak-A goalie and defenders, to hold the score at 4-2.

In the matches at King’s Park, KNS-A beat KCC-A 4-1, SSSC-A overcame HKCC-A 5-3 and Khalsa won 4-1 against Valley-A.

Premier Standings Oct 2, 2016, (Courtesy of HKHA)
Premier Standings Oct 2, 2016, (Courtesy of HKHA)

Top scorers after round 4.

Premier division top scorers as of Oct 2, 2016. (Courtesy of HKHA)
Premier division top scorers as of Oct 2, 2016. (Courtesy of HKHA)

This week

There is only the postponed match between Khalsa-A and Pak-A scheduled for this coming Sunday (Oct 9) to be played at King’s Park.