Bangladesh Air Force emerged champions in Paragon Group Victory Day Hockey Tournament with a 5-4 win over holders Bangladesh Navy in a pulsating final at the Maulana Bhasani Hockey Stadium yesterday.

Forward Rakibul Hasan slammed a hattrick to deliver the maiden trophy for Bangladesh Air Force at any level of hockey but it was the under-21 team forward Obaidul Hossain Joy, who stole the show with a goal and three assists in the enthralling final.

The final was also a battle between the experienced national players of Bangladesh Navy and young and promising players of Bangladesh Air Force.

Navy were the favourites coming into the final, having won two consecutive Victory Day hockey titles and boasting a bunch of national players but they were stunned conceding two goals within seven minutes. They, however, recovered to make it 3-3 at one stage but the feeble Navy defence conceded two more goals in a span of eight minutes in the fourth and final quarter as Rakibul completed his hattrick.

Navy, who pulled one back in the penultimate minute, lashed their anger at the umpires, complaining that Shahbaz Ali did not award them a legitimate a penalty corner in the final quarter.

However, the performance of the players in the final was enough evidence of what difference players' fitness and proper training makes.

"I think the fitness of our players were better than the opponents, who just could not match our players' speed," Air Force coach Hedayetul Islam Razib said after the match.

"We started the tournament with a defeat but we grew in confidence after beating Bangladesh Army. Today the players really wanted to deliver the trophy to Air Force and they played out of their skin," said the former national player.

Bangladesh Navy forward Rasel Mahmud Jimmy was not happy with some decision of umpires, saying, "Green card has been withdrawn from Bangladesh hockey as the umpires showed only yellow and red cards."

"Apart from umpiring decisions, we could not play our natural game because we failed to keep the momentum despite coming back in the match," Jimmy said. "It was not a matter of fitness. It was really tough to fight with the shortage of one or two against 11 players."