Kolkata [India], February 10 : The Haryana Steelers laid on a masterclass to beat the UP Yoddhas 50-34 in their PKL Season 10 encounter on Friday. In a superb team performance, Shivam Patare (12 points) and Vinay (10 points) stole the show and the game away from the Yoddhas to consolidate their position on the table and stay in a strong position for the playoffs.
The Steelers, who have been known for their defensive solidity all season, showed a different side of their game tonight. Right from the off, Vinay hit the ground running, and the Yoddhas had barely collected themselves before suffering their first all-out as the Steelers took a 9-2 lead. The hammering continued through the half, Patare and Vinay never letting up, and at the other end, the Steelers' defence kept the Yoddhas raiding duo fairly quiet. A second all-out came with two minutes of the half left, and the Steelers went into the break leading 27-12.
The stark difference in quality between the two sides was reflected on both ends of the mat, as the Steelers outscored the Yoddhas by almost twice the points in raids as well as tackles through the first half. Mahipal, the Yoddhas' one bright spark wasn't enough to keep them in the game.
The Yoddhas seemed to have wrested back control of the game in the second half, and despite Mohit Nandal's super tackle to stave off an inspired comeback, they inflicted an all-out of their own to reduce the gap. With a final quarter of the game to go it looked like this could be the start of a comeback for the ages.
It proved to be a false dawn, as the Steelers regrouped and took charge once again. A pair of super tackles by Harender Kumar, seemed to re-instil a sense of belief in the Yoddhas, but they could not stop the bleeding. A third all out with four minutes of the game left proved to be the nail in the coffin as the Steelers took a deserved victory.
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