LUCKNOW, Oct. 19 -- Former runners-up and hosts Uttar Pradesh Hockey continued their winning run at the 16th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship in Jhansi, defeating a spirited Manipur 4-2 to book a place in the semi-finals. The hosts combined early authority with late control to keep their title challenge firmly on course in the Division 'A' competition. Playing before their home supporters, Uttar Pradesh were sharp from the opening whistle. They pressed high, moved the ball quickly through midfield and denied Manipur's fast forwards the space to launch their customary counter-attacks. The pressure told when Akash Pal opened the scoring with a field goal, giving Uttar Pradesh a deserved 1-0 lead. Manipur, however, refused to be overawed. Suresh Sharma Adhikarimayum restored parity with a well-taken field goal, making it 1-1 and briefly lifting his side's belief. Uttar Pradesh responded almost immediately, with Sumit Kumar finding the net from open play to restore the hosts' advantage at 2-1. The second quarter brought Manipur's best spell. Cyril Lugun converted a penalty corner to draw his team level again at 2-2, rewarding their persistence and ensuring the contest remained finely balanced. For a while, Manipur's pace and pressing looked capable of unsettling the hosts. But Akash Pal had other plans. The Uttar Pradesh forward struck again from field play to complete his brace and put his side ahead 3-2, a lead they carried into the third quarter. His second goal proved the turning point as it came at a moment when Manipur were growing into the match and shifted the momentum decisively back towards Uttar Pradesh. Pal's brace was the difference between the teams. His first goal settled the hosts' nerves, while his second blunted Manipur's fightback and gave Uttar Pradesh the platform to manage the game. Quick to attack space, composed in the circle and clinical when chances arrived, Pal repeatedly stretched the Manipur defence and made the most of Uttar Pradesh's dominance in possession. Sharda Nand Tiwari then sealed the result from a penalty stroke, extending the lead to 4-2 in the 38th minute. From there, Uttar Pradesh showed the maturity expected of a side with recent podium experience at the Nationals. They tightened their defensive structure, closed the passing lanes and prevented Manipur from creating a genuine route back into the contest. The fourth quarter belonged to the hosts' discipline. Manipur continued to chase the game, but Uttar Pradesh kept their shape, slowed the tempo when required and protected their two-goal cushion with confidence. It was a controlled finish that underlined why they remain one of the tournament's leading contenders. For Manipur, there were positives in the performances of Sharma and Lugun, whose goals kept them in the fight for long periods. Yet against an organised Uttar Pradesh unit, their momentum ultimately faded after Pal's decisive second strike....