Ranchi edge out Kalinga 3-2 in thrilling HIL match

Defending Champions Ranchi Rays completed a hat-trick of wins after eking out a 3-2 win over table toppers Kalinga Lancers in a round robin match of the fourth Hockey India League, here today.

Down 0-2, the hosts produced a brilliant fightback with Ashley Jackson (39th minute) reducing the deficit by converting a penalty, while Timothy Deavin (48th) scored a field goal to seal the match for Ranchi.

For Kalinga, Malak Singh (33rd) produced a field goal to give his team a 2-0 lead.

As per the new goal scoring system, every field goal and penalty stroke goal resulting from a deliberate four is counted as two.

With this win, Ranchi zoomed to the top of the table.

They will next take on now Jaypee Punjab Warriors here on Saturday, while Kalinga will meet Debang Mumbai on Sunday in Mumbai.

After a hard-fought battle in the first two quarters, it was Kalinga who earned the first blood with Malak Singh scoring a field goal three minutes into the third quarter.