LAHORE, Feb 14: Six-goal James Harper stole the limelight in guiding Army/Nadra to an exciting 9-8 win against Shahpur on the opening day of the Aibak Polo Cup, one of the main features of the Lahore Polo Club’s season.

Playing with two-goal handicap, Shahpur had levelled the score 8-8 till the stipulated fourth chukker, but in the extra-chukker a goal from Maj Gen Isfandyar Ali Khan Pataudi, his second of the match, sealed the fate of the tie in Army/Nadra’s favour.

The winning side made a stormy start to take 4-3 lead in the first chukker as their Harper completed his hat-trick to end the two-goal handicap advantage of the losing side, before Isfandiyar hit his first to make it 4-2.

However, in the dying minute Malik Atif Yar Tiwana drew the first blood for Shahpur to reduce the margin of the lead. The slim one-goal lead of the winners remained in order during the second chukker too since both sides scored two goals each.

After Raja Temur Nadeem contributed a field goal for the winning side, Ahmed Ali Tiwana and Major Omer Minhas struck one goal each for Shahpur to restore the parity 5-5. But Harper’s fourth goal in the last moments of the second chukker salvaged the lead 6-5.

Harper struck his fifth goal in the beginning of the third chukker to increase the lead to 7-5, but Ahmed Ali Tiwana struck his second goal to reduce the lead 7-6, taking the thrilling encounter to the fourth chukker.

Though Harper managed to make it 8-6 by scoring his final goal, captain Shaukat Ali Malik and Ahmed Ali Tiwana fired one goal each for Shahpur to make it 8-8. However, Isfandiyar settled the issue with a fine field goal in the extra chukker.

Earlier, six goals by Vieri Antinori and three by Bilal Haye propelled Hataff Security to a big 10 ½-4 win against Guard Filter/Newage. Mir Shoaib Ahmad added one goal for the winning side, who had also half goal handicap. Hissam Ali Hyder (3), and Shah Shamyl Alam (1) were the main scorers for the losing side.—Sports Reporter