New Delhi, Feb 11: Hosts Delhi Waveriders took full advantage of home conditions to break their four-match losing streak with a 7-4 victory over defending champions and table-toppers Ranchi Rays in a Hockey India League (HIL) pool match at the Shivaji Stadium here on Thursday.
Braces from Mandeep Singh and Talwinder Singh and some heroics by Kiwi goalkeeper Devon Manchester helped the Waveriders notch up a convincing victory to keep their semi-fil hopes alive.
The Waveriders have now climbed a spot in the standings to be placed fifth. They will need to win their last and fil league game here on February 17 to have any chance of qualifying for the last four stage.
The Rays, on the other hand, remain on top of the standings despite the loss.
It was a match between the bottom-placed team and the league leaders where the former trumped the defending champions.
Defender Harjeet Singh got into the act in the third minute, but his shot went just wide of the Rays goalpost. The Rays got another scare three minutes later as drag-flicker Rupinder Pal Singh's attempt was stopped by Tyler Lovell.
But Mandeep filly got Waveriders on the board in the seventh minute by scoring a field goal to give the hosts a 2-0 advantage.
Three minutes later, Simranjeet Singh had a brilliant chance to draw level for the Rays but he found no support in the D with his effort going waste.
Pelty corner specialist Sandeep Singh got brilliant back-to-back chances to draw level for the visitors but both his shorts were saved brilliantly by Manchester, who made sure his team remained ahead.
The Waveriders were consistently making in-roads into the Rays' half of the field and their efforts filly bore fruit when Mandeep’s rebound shot during a pelty corner made it 3-0 for the hosts. IANS