Tougher test for Ranchi Rays

RANCHI: Having thumped Kalinga Lancers on Friday, Ranchi Rays will be looking to maintain the momentum as they take on Uttar Pradesh Wizards here at Astroturf Hockey Stadium on Sunday.
With both the teams on an even keel after six matches each, the encounter promises to be a closely-fought affair.
The Wizards lost 0-2 in their own backyard last Tuesday.Smarting from that loss, Wizards are expected to go all out in front of an extremely vociferous crowd, after going through a closed-door practice session Saturday evening.
While it can be safely concluded that the Rays have peaked just at the right time, they will be wary of the threat the Wizards possess in the form of their indomitable skipper VR Raghunath, Nikkin Thimmaiah and Ramandeep Singh. However, none of them is Oltmans’ ace. It is goalkeeper PR Sreejesh. His performance under pressure has often been the decisive factor for the UP outfit. The 26 year-old from Chennai has been unmovable under the bar.
In Ashley Jackson, Rays have a skipper who leads from the front. The midfielder at the moment heads the scorers’ list and will be hungry for more goals after the hat-trick against the Lancers. Compatriot Barry Middleton, too, has been a positive influence on the young midfielders in the team. Perhaps Middleton is also the best tactical mind in the tournament.
The biggest relief for the hosts has been the return to form of their defenders after a poor run initially. The likes of Fergus Kavanagh, Kothajit Singh and Ajitesh Roy have managed clean sheets in two consecutive matches after conceding eleven goals before that. While Birendra Lakra has been the central figure for the Rays at the heart of defence, sudden lapses in concentration at crucial junctures has seen his team pay the price.
Consistency has been one of biggest problems for the Ranchi outfit. Come Sunday, they will be up against an opposition which has got the personnel to get the job done, even in alien territory.