JCT reserve fourth spot through Mandal

With Tuesday’s win, JCT move to the fourth place in the 12-team league after Mohun Bagan, Salgaocar and Churchill Brothers. They have 34 points from 21 matches whereas MTA with 26 points from the same number of matches stand seventh.

JCT will play their last league fixture against Churchill Brothers at Margao later this week.

The Phagwara outfit maintained their complete domination almost throughout the game and more so during the first half. The slender victory margin was a result of some wayward shooting and aimless hits by the forwards who wasted quite a number of close scoring chances.

JCT strikers Jaswant Singh, Hardip Gill and Jaswinder alongwith Hardip Saini, Harinder and Rampal kept the MTA custodian Bivash Ghosh busy and were instrumental in keeping the ball in the visitors’ half for most of the time.

A cracking shot by Jaswant missed the target by whiskers (sixth minute) and another that followed (12th) almost grazed the horizontal. Another pile driver by Jaswant off a pass from Harinder struck the upright (20th). Hardip Gill failed to find the target atleast four tmes and his hits were way off the mark.

In 26th minute, Jaswinder sent a cross to Hardip Saini inside the MTA box who shot the ball straight to the rival goalkeeper. Repeated onslaughts by the millmen in their territory so baffled the visitors that they adopted an over defensive attitude and as a result failed to make any worthwhile moves.

MTA muffed a chance to surge ahead (31st) when their striker Moses Oira located in front of the goalmouth, failed to connect a pass from right flank. Again, a half-hearted shot by Sasthi Duley was wide away (48th). JCT custodian Baljit Singh had to jump high in the air to deflect a lob by Jayanta Sen (81st) from top of the box which was descending towards the net.

Sen had another go inside the Phagwara box a few seconds before the long hooter but the shot took flight and went past the horizontal. The millmen could have increased the victory margin but Jaswant could not collect a back pass from Hardip Gill (52nd).

Towards the end (87th), a well aimed shot from Gill beat MTA custodian but defender Nilanjan Guha came in the way and cleared the ball.

JCT coach Sukhwinder sent in Harjinder Singh in place of Jaswant (70th) and again substituted Tarsem Lal for injured Deepak Mandal (85th) in a bid to consolidate the lead but the moves failed to pay off.

SBT compound ITI woes

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: State Bank of Travancore (SBT) beat Indian Telephone Industries, Bangalore 4-3 in their second-leg encounter, here on Tuesday, reports UNI.

Substitute striker VP Shaji (2) and strikers Ashif Saheer and Signatius (penalty) scored for the SBT.

Frontliners RC Prakash and George Ekka and defender Muraleedharan (penalty) netted for ITI. The teams were locked 1-1 at half time.

With this win, SBT have 23 points from 21 matches and they have consolidated their ninth position in the league table. ITI, who have just 17 points from 21 matches, are in the tenth position and are still not out of the woods as far as relegation is concerned.

BSF Jalandhar being eleventh in the NFL table, have 16 points from 21 matches. The two teams will meet on March 25 at Ludhiana for their final league match. A win for BSF will enable them to remain in the premier league.