SAI, Steel Plants Sports Board make quarters of inter-department national tournamet.

Sports Authority of India (SAI) and Steel Plants Sports Board entered the quarterfinals from their respective pools after recording contrasting results in the 4th Hockey India Senior Men Inter-Department National Championship in Pune on Tuesday.

On a day of do-or-die battles for qualifications, SAI beat Central Board of Direct Taxes (CDT) 5-1 to claim second spot in Pool A with 9 points behind Petroleum Sports Promotion Board who topped the pool.

Lalit Negi (6th), Neeraj (28th), Pankaj (38th - p.s, 53rd - p.c) and Rajat Minz (54th) scored for SAI. CDT reduced the margin through a Nachappa LR (44th) strike.

Steel Plants Sports Board made it in second position from Pool B after Dena Bank dramatically struck in the final minute to draw the game 3-3.

Pradhan Somanna Pudiyokkada Somaiah converted a penalty corner to help Dena Bank earn a point.

Earlier, Chandanda Aiyanna Nikkin Thimmaiah (4th); Somanna Km (33rd) scored for Dena Bank. For the Steel Plants Sports Board, it was Dilbar Barla (5st); Bara Rabi (53rd) and Abdul Qadir (55th) who scored.

As a result, Steel Plants Board finished with 7 points (4 matches) and qualified for the knockouts.

Pool B had a thrilling finish as the already-qualified Railway Sports Promotion Board faced a tough challenge from All India Police Sports Control Board (AIPSCB). RSPB staged a fightback from a 2-3 deficit to win 4-3.

RSPB ended up unbeaten in Pool B.

RSPB scored through Parampreet Singh (4th - p.c), Yuvraj Walmiki (21st), Darshan Vibhav Gawkar (54th) and Simranjot Singh (56th). Varinder Singh (37th - p.c; 45th) and Haris Mohammad (11th - p.c) struck for the police team.

The loss impacted AIPSCB (6) which missed to qualify after finishing third behind Steel Plants Board (7) by a point.