LAHORE, March 7: Four-goal Taimur Ali Malik helped Guard Rice earn a win by a narrow margin (7-6 ½) against Hattaf Security in the Spring Polo Cup here on Friday.

The winners made a stormy start taking a 3-1 1/2 lead in the first chukker with Taimur striking twice and Junaid Ahmed one. Hamza Mawaz Khan scored for the losing side, who had half-goal handicap.

The second chukker saw the winners coming up with a more impressive lead of 6-3 1/2 as Mian Shahzad Aziz scored two and Taimur struck his third. Atif Tiwana and Hassan Ali Farrukh banged home for the losing side.

And when Taimur fired his fourth goal in the third chukker, also the solitary, it seemed like a 7-3 1/2 lead was enough to finish the match in one-sided affairs.

The losing side then staged a brilliant comeback, scoring three goals in a row but only to come close. They lost anyway. Atif scored two while Hamza one.

Four-goal Agha Murtaza enabled Pak Punjab Carpets beat Charbagh’s Own 8-4. Ashfaq Ahmed (2) and Saeed Aslam Khan (2) were their other scorers. For the losing side, who had a two-goal handicap, Faisal Khokhar and Kasim Ahmed Khan slammed one goal apiece.