Ajay Thakur opened the scoring for Puneri Paltans overpowering his defender in the very first minute. The Titans found it hard to open the floodgates due to some stiff defending from the opposition. Telugu captain, Rahul Chaudhari was sent back to the bench early on post an immaculate team tackle from Pune. His partner in crime, Sukesh Hegde followed him in the very next raid to make it 3-0 to Pune.
The Titans finally opened their score in the 5th minute tackling Deepak Hooda. Manjeet then made it 4-2 in the 6th courtesy a well-executed running leg touch. Both the teams were trading blows as Rahul made sure the Paltans didn’t run away with an unassailable lead with a clever hand touch. Hooda found it hard to open his account as he was tackled for a second consecutive time reducing Pune’s team to merely three.
Rahul made the most of it the very next second to secure two raiding points. The Paltans were hanging by a thread and were inflicted with their first all out after Ajay Thakur was tackled to make it 11-6 to the Titans. Hooda’s struggle ensued as he was tackled twice in consecutive minutes to make it 14-9 to Telugu. As the first half drew to a close, Pune clawed back into the game to make it 13-15 courtesy some astute defending.
HT- Puneri Paltans 13- 15 Telugu Titans
The Titans started the second half with a superb tackle on the captain, Manjeet to make it 17-13. New signee, Sandeep Narwal stealthy produced some hard hitting tackles for the Titans. He tried to keep his side’s lead intact but his team mate’s made schoolboy errors helping the orange army inflict an all out of their own to take a 20-18 lead. Sonu Narwal made it 21-18 with a lovely diving hand touch.
They continued their good run and tackled Rahul Chaudhari to make it 22-18. A relieved Hooda finally scored his first raid point in the 28th minute to make it 23-18. Pune were trying their best to slow down the game which was moving at a hectic pace. With nine minutes remaining, the scorecard read 23-20 to the Paltans. The pacey Vinoth Kumar tried to reduce the deficit but Pune’s defence held on tight to make it 24-20. Rahul Chaudhari was comparatively silent in the 2nd half and was tackled with relative ease in the 34th minute to make it 25-21.
With four minutes remaining, Sandeep scored a vital raid point with an outstretched leg to reduce the deficit to just three points. Late on, reviews were flying from the Titan’s end and they won most of them expect the last one as Pune made it 26-24 with two minutes to go. A frantic Rahul went all in with his raid but was tackled and so was Vinoth to make it 28-24. Experience shone through in the end for the Paltans as they won the opening game of season 4.
FT- Puneri Paltans 28- Telugu Titans 24
