Mohit Goyat and Aslam Inamdar help Puneri Paltan power past Dabang Delhi

A combined 17 raid points from youngsters Mohit Goyat and Aslam Inamdar and six tackle points from Sombir saw Puneri Paltan beat Dabang Delhi 41-25. The win helped the Paltan cut the gap to the top six places to seven points.

The game got off to a cagey start, with both teams matching each other blow-for-blow to keep the score tied at 4-4. Mohit Goyat and the Paltan defence then helped their team score three unanswered points, leaving Delhi with only two men on the mat.

Pune’s defence allowed the raider to pick up the bonus point before promptly pinning him down to leave Delhi with a solitary player. Krishan surrendered the touch point, which inflicted an All Out on Delhi and gave the Paltan an 11-5 lead.   

They continued to pile the points on the scoreboard, as Nitin Tomar, Mohit Goyat and Aslam Inamdar helped their side embark on a 7-2 run, which extended their team’s lead to 11 points. Delhi’s two-man defence managed to curb the leak with a Super Tackle.

But that proved to be only momentary respite, as Inamdar and the Paltan defence sent Delhi’s final three men to the bench one after another to inflict a second All Out and help their side take a 23-10 lead. Delhi finished the half on a 3-2 run to go into halftime, trailing by 13 points.

Inamdar, Goyat and the Paltan’s defence picked up from where they left off in the first half, as they combined to outscore Delhi 6-3 early in the second half and reduce them to a solitary man on the mat. Neeraj Narwal managed to pick up the bonus, but was swarmed by the Paltan’s defence soon after, which inflicted a third All Out on Delhi.

Neeraj and Sandeep Narwal helped Delhi inch closer to the Paltan’s total on the scoreboard, but Inamdar and Goyat ensured their side maintained a sizeable lead. The young duo helped the Paltan match Delhi point-for-point in the final 10 minutes of the game to deny Delhi a route back into the contest.

Vijay managed to steal a bonus and a touch point in the game’s final raid, but it was too little too late, as the Paltan registered a comfortable 17-point victory.

Top Performers

Puneri Paltan

Best Raider – Mohit Goyat (9 Raid Points)

Best Defender – Sombir (6 Tackle Points)

Dabang Delhi K.C.

Best Raider – Vijay (8 Raid Points)

Best Defender – Sandeep Narwal (3 Tackle Points)