Star-studded Indian Oil, the defending champions, and South Central Railway from Seceunderabad notched up resounding quarter final victories to advance into the semi finals of the 53rd All India Bombay Gold Cup hockey tournament here on Saturday.

Later, Pratap Lakra scored a hat-trick of penalty corner goals to power South Central Railway to a 6-3 win against Army XI in the second quarter-final.

Boasting of several former internationals in their line-up, Indian Oil dominated the match against a defensive Central Railway.

Indian Oil took the lead in the sixth minute when a combined move between Roshan Minz, Vickram Singh and TalwinderSingh resulted in the last-named beating Central goalkeeper Mujahid Khan with a firm reverse hit.

Three minutes later drag-flicker Neelam Sanjay Xess scored from the first penalty corner to double the lead for the title holders in the first quarter.

Central started to show more positive intent in the second quarter and their efforts yielded two quick goals through Vikas Chaudhary, in the 17thminute, and Rajendra Pawar, who converted a penalty corner in the 22ndminute, to draw level.

But on the stroke of half time, Affan Yousuf found the target to give Indian Oil a 3-2 advantage.

Central then ran out of steam as the Indian Oil forwards easily sliced through their defense and scored four more goals in the last two quarters to complete the rout.

Vickram Kant (44thmin), Roshan Minz (49thmin), Talwinder (57thmin) and Bharat Chhikra (59thmin) scored the remaining goals for the oilmen.

In the second game, Army XI took the lead through Manpreet Singh in the 18th minute before M G Poonacha helped SCR draw level in the third quarter (40th minute).

Lakra scored the first of his three penalty corner goals in the third minute of the final quarter to put the railway team ahead.

Although, Binay Bhengra brought Army XI on level terms two minutes later, Lakra scored twice more from set pieces within a space of three minutes to help SCR take a 4-2 lead.

Then Ajay Yadav made it 5-2 with five minutes left.

The army team reduced the margin in the 57th minute through a field goal by Vishwa Thakur, before Yadav found the mark in the last minute through his second field goal to complete the tally for SCR.

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