E&Y and Tenaga take healthy leads

ERNST & Young and Tenaga Nasional took healthy leads into the return leg of the Malaysia Hockey League TNB Cup semi-finals, but only after overcoming shaky starts.

E & Y beat Batu Pahat Sikhs 4-1 at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil, while Tenaga overcame Sapura 3-1 at the KLHA Stadium. Tenaga received a blow when playmaker S. Selvaraju was yellow-carded, and his demerit points is now 12 which means he is suspended for the return leg.Tenaga took the lead in the 22nd minute when Amin Rahim scored off a penalty corner attempt, but after the breather, Sapura equalised in the 42nd when Jivan Mohan deflected home a penalty corner attempt.

But Sapura in their haste to take the lead, left gaping holes in defence, which Tenaga capitalised on with M. Kaliswaran's brilliant reverse stick shot from the top of the semi-circle. Kaliswaran, who retired from international duty in 2000 after the Osaka Olympic Qualifiers, gave Tenaga the boost they needed. Selvaraju slammed the third at the end of a darting run in the 62nd minute. Tenaga coach K. Rajan was unhappy with the yellow card flashed at Selvaraju, but took it in good faith."We have a good cushion and will now wait for Sapura to come at us in the return leg," said Rajan. "We will try and score off counter attacks."

Selvaraju's loss will be felt, but nothing can be done about it, but to have an alternative plan." Sapura assistant coach Stephen van Huizen admitted it will be difficult, but not impossible in the return leg."We still have 70 minutes of hockey, and anything can happen. It is not over yet," he said.At the National Stadium, Ismail Abu gave E & Y the lead in the third minute, but just seven minutes later Batu Pahat Sikhs equalised trough Razlan Radzi. But the match belonged to E & Y who powered ahead with goals from Shahrun Nabil (23rd), Amerullah Aziz (30th) and Faizal Daud (42nd).

The return legs will be played on Wednesday but the Malaysian Hockey Federation has yet to decide on the venues as they are ironing-out details with the television crew.