KARACHI, Jan 3: A last-gasp Rehan Butt equaliser rescued holders Wapda from a possible defeat as they forced a 1-1 draw with minnows PAF at the national hockey championship for departments at Hockey Club of Pakistan on Monday.
The airmen gave the defending champions a scare when Imran opened the account off a penalty corner ten minutes before the halftime. Wapda, sorely missing penalty corner striker Sohail Abbas who has recently joined Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC), heaved a sigh of relief when Rehan converted a penalty stroke a minute before time preventing PAF from creating a major and the first upset.
Newly-drafted Sohail Abbas's second half equaliser helped SSGC manage a 2-2 draw against Police. The policemen got a fright when Shabbir Ahmad slotted home for the SSGC in the 8th minute before Tariq Mahmood equalised in the 13th minute.
Police went 2-1 up through Mohammad Fayyaz three minutes into second session but Sohail put the game on an even keel with a 43rd minute effort. Pakistan Customs, having at least three aging veterans along with youths, bowed down 1-0 against Pakistan Navy.
Despite having Farhat Khan, Waseem Feroz and Mohammad Ali Customs could not break the ice, although they made several inroads. After a barren first half, Navy slammed home through Mohammad Ahmad in the 42nd minute.
Two-goal Imran Warsi and Adnan Zakir guided National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) to a comprehensive 8-1 victory over Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF). Although POF opened the scoring through Afzal in the 5th minute, they buckled under as the bankers equalised via Adnan in the 13th minute before Asif Khan doubled the lead six minutes later.
Adnan banged home his second in the 31st minute, while Imran Warsi got his first in the dying seconds of the first half. Imran Warsi was again on target three minutes into the second half, Tariq Aziz found the cage in the 44th minute, while Haseem Khan and Asif completed the tally in the 55th and 68th minutes.
Pakistan Army outplayed KESC 4-1, PTCL handed a crushing 7-1 defeat to PTV and HBL pulverised HEC 16-1.
