The 2016 season is Ranchi Rays' second season in the Hockey India League. The season covers the period from 18 January to 21 February 2016. The season saw the introduction of a new rule according to which weightage for field goals was double compared to the goals scored from penalty corners, meaning a field goal will count as two while successfully converted short corner will still be considered as one goal.
League The fixtures for 2016 season were drawn on 6 January 2016. Ranchi Rays began their campaign on 19 January with a 2–0 loss away to Punjab Warriors. In its second game on 22 January, Rays registered an away win against Uttar Pradesh Wizards. After a 15th minute field goal by Wizards giving the team a 2–0 lead, Rays scored its first goal in the 45th minute after Sarvanjit Singh converted a penalty corner into a goal. Jackson followed it up with a field goal with an assist provided by Barry Middleton in the 48th minute and a 60th-minute goal with a penalty corner conversion, and the team finished 4–2. Playing its first home game on 26 January, Rays beat Delhi Waveriders 2–1 that included another brace by Jackson, converting penalty corners in the 29th and 31st minute. Playing then table-toppers Kalinga Lancers at home, dubbed the 'Eastern derby', Rays were down 0–1 in the 33rd minute, and came from behind with a penalty conversion by Jackson in the 39th minute and a field goal by Tim Deavin in the 48th minute to win the game 3–1. With the win, Rays replaced Lancers at the top of the table. In its second game against Punjab Warriors, playing at home, Rays were down 0–2 in the 7th minute. Field goals from Kothajit Singh in the 18th minute and Daniel Beale in the 28th minute saw them go 4–2 up. After another field goal from Warriors, Sandeep Singh of Rays converted a penalty in the 43rd minute after coming in as a substitute, to win the game 5–4.
Playing Dabang Mumbai away on 3 February, Rays scored the equalizing goal to make 1–1 in the 18th minute. Jackson scored his second goal for Rays with a penalty conversion to go 4–3 up in the 41st minute. In the same minute, Mumbai scored a field goal to go 5–3 up. Despite a Sandeep Singh penalty conversion in the 59th minute, the match went in Mumbai's favour 7–5. Playing table-leaders Kalinga Lancers again, now away, Rays were down 0–2 in the 9th minute. For Rays, Jackson converted a penalty corner the next minute, and with a 49th minute field goal by Mohammad Amir Khan, they finished the game winning 3–2, and in the process again upstaged Lancers at the top of the table with a total of 27 points off 7 games to the latter's 23 off 8. Playing Delhi Waveriders in its final away game, Rays were down 0–5 by the 19th-minute. With field goals from Jackson and Trent Mitton, the game ended at 7–4 in Waveriders' favour. Rays could convert none of its eight penalty corner chances into goals.
DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorers19 JanuaryPunjab WarriorsA0–222 JanuaryUttar Pradesh WizardsA4–2Sar. Singh , Jackson (2) 26 JanuaryDelhi WaveridersH2–1Jackson (2) 28 JanuaryKalinga LancersH3–1Jackson , Deavin 30 JanuaryPunjab WarriorsH5–4K. Singh , Daniel Beale , San. Singh 3 FebruaryDabang MumbaiH5–7Jackson (2) , Sar. Singh , San. Singh 8 FebruaryKalinga LancersA3–2Jackson , Khan 11 FebruaryDelhi WaveridersA4–7Jackson , Mitton 13 FebruaryUttar Pradesh WizardsHReport
Points Table
TeamRanchi Rays75022220227Kalinga Lancers84043526923Punjab Warriors74032217522Uttar Pradesh Wizards73042329–618Delhi Waveriders73041925–617Dabang Mumbai62041923-414Qualify for Semi-finals
Team Prior to the players' auction held in September 2015, the franchise of Rays retained six of its players — Manpreet Singh, Birendra Lakra, Kothajit Singh, Ashley Jackson, Barry Middleton and Fergus Kavanagh — from the 2015 season. At the auctions, 13 new players were signed to complete the fixed squad of 20.
Pos.NameFeeDF Vikramjit Singh$4,500GK Akash Chikte$4,500FW Imran Khan$7,000MF Simranjeet Singh$8,000MF Sumit Kumar$15,000MF Sumit$71,000DF Sandeep Singh$81,000FW Sarvanjit Singh$6,000FW Mohammad Amir Khan$10,500MF Flynn Ogilvie$10,000GK Tyler Lovell$30,000MF Daniel Beale$26,000DF Tim Deavin$29,000MF Trent Mitton$20,000
Squad statistics No.Pos.NameLeagueDisciplineAppsGoals1GK Tyler Lovell40003DF Vikramjit Singh2(2)0004DF Sandeep Singh2(1)0006MF Kothajit Singh40007MF Manpreet Singh40008MF Ashley Jackson45009FW Imran Khan4(4)00010FW Sarvanjit Singh410011MF Trent Mitton400016MF Sumit4(1)00017MF Barry Middleton400019DF Tim Deavin4(4)10020MF Sumit Kumar4(4)00022FW Mohammad Amir Khan400023MF Daniel Beale4(4)00024MF Simranjeet Singh4(4)00025GK Akash Chikte1(1)00026DF Birendra Lakra400030MF Flynn Ogilvie4(4)00031DF Fergus Kavanagh4000
References